Peace from Within
by OfInkandFeather
Summary: As tensions grow between Nohr and Hoshido, the Vallite royal family decides to take action. When you can't have themp make peace from the outside, you attack from the inside. [or, what would happen if Mikoto and Arete had never been forced to leave Valla]
1. Chapter 1

A Key to Peace

 **Author's notes :**

 **Alright people ! Starting a new fic to celebrate the end of my first year of college (guess there's no other equivalent to what I'm doing, eh ?), and what better way to find motivation then to write about my latest passion ? That's right : just discovered Fire Emblem Fates, and I'm absolutely in love with the idea (more than with the actual game, to be honest). So yeah, the whole concept gave me many ideas, and one of them is the following : what if Mikoto and Arete never had to flee from Valla ? What if there had always been three kingdoms in the continent (whatever it is called) ? How would the war happen, what role would the characters have ? And, you guessed it, that's just what I want to write about.**

 **So there should be no spoilers concerning the games, since it will be a completely different story. Some characters may not appear – I can tell for sure that Inigo/Laslow, Owain/Odin and Selena/Severa won't (meaning that Wander, Camilla and Leo will have different retainers), since Anankos won't need them in this version. Some other characters won't have the same personality, especially the siblings, since the Hoshidans will never lose the avatar (and therefore never feel the need to put him on a pedestal) and the Nohrians won't have to deal with a father controlled by Anankos. That's also true for Corrin and Kamui – because yeah, they're going to be twins – whose personalities most likely will not ressemble that of the games.**

 **And without further due, let's start !**

* * *

 **Prologue : Frail little home**

No star could be seen from the dining room's windows. Lilith thought it was fitting. There was something lugubrious about that evening, and even more so, about the room in itself. Yet the meeting had started peacefully – she would even dare say happily. She remembered the look on her father's face when he and King Cratos had shaken hands with the Hoshidan and Nohrian Kings, the former wearing a white formal attire that apparently served as a reminder of his traditional armor, the latter, looking rather impressive, although dashing, in his black outfit. She also remembered how the queen and her sister had come, only a few minutes afterwards, to welcome not only the upper mentionned kings, but their respective wives and children as well. The young girl, hidden in the shadows as she had been ordered, had watched all eight of them – four on each side, with two boys and two girls for each family – and thought it could be nice to befriend them. She had never seen so many children inthe Vallite castle in ages, and although her step-brother and step-sister were more than nice enough towards her, just as the Crown princess, she longed for the friendship of ne people. Ideally, people like them, who would not have to appreciate her just because she was a relative.

When had it all crumbled ? She couldn't say. Everything was fine, she was helping her youngest sibling reaching for his glass of water ; and the following moment, there were shouts from the adults' side, and she had to hush the other children so as not to infuriate their parents more. A woman – she believed her name was Ikona, and it seemed that she was the Hoshidan queen – took a moment to ask them to go play in the gardens, which they did. Although as she left, Lilith could have sworn that she had seen her father clenching fists – something she had never seen him do before.

The blue-haired girl's father, Anankos, was best known for his dragon powers. He might have looked like an ordinary man, but she knew, as most people, that his true form was that of a terrific creature, whose destructive nature could make him destroy the country, and perhaps all countries... if it weren't for the Stone of the pendant, a dragonstone of sorts that, when activated by a specific song, would appease him, and which had been passed down for generations within the royal family. _Queen Arete just has to sing a little, and Father will calm down_ , his oldest child thought to herself. _It will be alright_.

"Liiiliith, you comin' ?"

With a surprised jump, the girl turned to meet two pairs of crimson eyes. She sighed.

"Sure. Let's go."

With those words, the descendant of the strongest dragon in existence took her siblings' hands to follow the foreign children into the gardens. Her younger brother, Kamui, was pretty much pulling her outside – no matter how weak the dragonblood in his blood could be, he was still stronger than most children of his age and stature, and took advantage of the absence of adults around them to put his strenght to good use. Opposite him was Corrin, his twin-sister – the one who had inherited most of their father's powers, and who, as such, had been used from an early age to control herself. Lilith knew if she had wanted to, she could have easily carried her brother up to the highest tower of the castle with only mild tiredness. The twins were an odd pair – that, the other royal siblings understood quickly enough. The boy was sociable enough, and sometimes a little headstrong ; the girl, quiet and secretive, made her best not to bother anyone, much like the Crown princess, who had taken the lead of the numerous group.

It was quite a pity, though, that there was so little light outside. Usually the moon and stars would bathe the place with an unreal atmosphere, making every flower glow white and her grass blade imitate the sharpness of a sword. On that fateful night, no constellation could be seen, and the children felt like they had entered a dark room, filled with monsters waiting to devour them in every corner, rather than a new playground. Not that the royal children seemed interested in games anyway. The youngest could barely talk, much less walk, and the oldest had already accepted their position as heirs to a great kingdom, making their slender shoulders carry an invisible weight. They too seemed quite odd.

"We should probably return inside", Corrin whispered with a shaky breath. Lilith turned to her and discovered she was now holding the hand of the youngest Hoshidan princess. She couldn't have been older than three, perhaps four years old, and her vivid pink hair constrasted with the paleness of her milky skin. Sakura, as her older brother called her, was rubbing her eyes and yawning while resting in the older girl's arms. "We could just go tell Father and Mother, and stay in... right ?"

"It wouldn't be wise", came the answer from the Crown prince of Nohr, Xander. His golden locks swayed as he passed a hand in his hair, looking uncomfortable with all the gazes focusing on him. "It looked like they had important things to discuss. We should not bother them – not now, at least."

"But it's cold outside", his youngest sibling muttered with teary eyes.

"Shh, there, there, my sweet Elise", her sister sang softly as she hugged her.

Lilith took notice that the youngest looked tired ; in all honesty, she had to admit that it was late, even for her own siblings, who didn't dare complain because they had been told several times that it was a great night. But as much as she wanted to leave the dreary place to find the comfort of her bed, she had no right to take that decision alone. From the beginning of the evening, she had felt something, and now it became clear : if there was a world of the adults, with its own rules and hierarchy, then the children's was the same. There were three heirs to a crown among them, and two princesses older than Lilith – which made for a total of five people she simply couldn't order around like they were her siblings. Nevertheless, it was getting cold outside, and there was a smell of rain in the air – that, she was certain, for her dragon senses were more acute than most people's – so she turned politely to the Crown princess of Valla, and asked timidly what she proposed. Azura, first and only daughter of King Cratos and Queen Arete, with her hair as blue as the skies and her eyes as yellow as a dragon's – with a figure that, by many accounts, recalled Lilith's – turned to face her, her hands shivering anxiously. Their gazes met in the silence of the night, and the heiress gave a nod of understanding before smiling a lovely smile.

"Please, follow me. We shall find a room to rest calmly."

 _That's the princess for you_ , Lilith thought, following her lead. _Quite the leader already_. Prince Ryoma of Hoshido thanked her with the utmost respect, soon imitated by his younger brother, Takumi ; as for Prince Xander, he messed with Elise's hair to wake her up, and went to Azura's side afterwards. Lilith waited for her own siblings, leaving them at the front. She looked around and saw mostly unfamiliar faces : Princess Hinoka, holding her little brother's hand as he tried to keep up with his oldest sibling's pace ; Princess Camilla and Prince Leo, walking together to prevent their younger sister from getting lost ; Corrin carrying Sakura, behind the rest of the troup, trying her best not to fall or to wake the tiny girl up... Where was Kamui, however ? She would have sworn that he had been together with Corrin until now ! His sister felt her heart racing in her chest as she couldn't find any trace of his white, messy hair. _Oh, gods, where did he... ?_

"Big sis, are you coming ?", the twin sister called up, bringing the lbue-haired dragon descendant back to earth. She looked at her, and saw a calm glimmer in the depth of her crimson eyes. Further down the hallway, Kamui had reached Azura and the oldest boys, and walked beside them with no worry whatsoever. Lilith sighed, feeling suddenly tired as she had never been, and nodded to the other twin, whom she accompagnied to the room chosen by their future queen.

* * *

Kamui stood up hurriedly to close the window shut – it didn't help much, but at least the rain ould be kept outside. At the following flash of lightning, Lilith hid under a blanket, and heard someone else, probably Princess Hinoka, letting out a small cry. The Vallite girl bit her lip, unwilling to be seen crying by those foreign princes and princesses, but couldn't refrain herslef from shaking like a leaf under the wind. The storm had reached them earlier than she had predicted it, much to the group's terror. That was yet another thing that separated her from her siblings : she was a nervous wreck at the first sign of thunder, while neither Kamui nor Corrin seemed particularly frightened by that sight. The former was hugging Princess Hinoka, as she was hugging him, like their lives depended on it. The latter had built a fort with blankets and pillows, found in a closet, for the others to hide in, and could be seen rocking the youngest princes to sleep. Lilith tried her best to appear calm and collected, but... why was she even trying ? Soon enough, she had begun crying and found it safer to stay within the cocoon of her own blanket until the storm stopped. As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't help but notice how the heirs acted – all dignified, strong and fearless, contrary to the rest of them. It seemed like they were not cut out of the same wood – and it made her feel guilty of not being as good as them. A pair of strong, warm arms pulled the girl out of her misery and into a tight embrace.

"P-Princess Camilla ?"

"It's just me", the young lady declared softly. "Come here."

And she took her into the fort, where the youngest princesses had somehow fallen asleep among some dolls while the youngest princes held onto Corrin's hands to forget about the lightning. Lilith came out of her shell unwillingly, and, before she could say anything, the purple-haired princess slipped her way next to her. The Vallite girl blushed at the Nohrian's closeness, but assumed immeadiately that it would be alright : Camilla embraced her tightly, as she would any of her siblings, and started murmuring into her ear that everything would be alright, that she was safe, that the storm would die out, that she didn't need to fear anything – because she was there. Lilith had never, or at least too rarely to remember, felt as safe as within the arms of the princess. It felt warm and she smelled _so_ good, like a thousand different roses – for once, Lilith didn't mind if she had been seen crying.

As the night went on slowly, tirying the storm out until it was nothing but a distant memory, the children started playing as quietly as they could so as not to wake their sleeping siblings. Azura found a way to the sleeping forms of Elise and Sakura, and sang a lovely lullaby to wish them sweet dreams. Corrin made funny faces until Hinoka laughed again, and eventually Ryoma joined them ; Lilith didn't quite catch what he told them, but in any case, it sent the two running across the room, with the young boy running to catch them, all the while chuckling to himself. Xander found a book somewhere, and helped Corrin out by reading a few tales to the boys, who didn't want to leave her side, even though she didn't understand why. They must be like me, Lilith told herself. They think they will be scared if she isn't there. I can see why...

"Do you feel better now ?", Camilla's voice let out a low sigh.

"Y-Yes... If I am bothering you, I can..."

"Oh, what are you saying ? You are not bothering me at all. But you looked so worried before." She gently stroke a few of her locks to get a better view of her face. "You look so cute now ! I am happy to see you like this !"

"Really ? You... Do you really think I look cute ?" Camilla nodded, Lilith felt herself grin. "I think you look cuter !"

"That can't be possible !"

And the two of them started giggling softly, in their own little world. One of the two proposed they played a game to get to know each other better, and so, ignoring Azura's song, Xander's reading and Ryoma's game of catch, they whispered secrets to each other, telling everything about their lives in Valla and Nohr, about their siblings, their parents... about the hardships they could meet from time to time : Lilith revealed that she was not Mikoto's daughter, only Anakos' – an oddity she found hard to explain due to her young age, but which she knew would make it impossible for her to inherit the throne – and Camilla admitted that her mother, who wasn't the queen but merely one of King Garon's many concubines, was extremely competitive towards the others, and pushed her to be second in line of succession. There was clearly something more to those stories, but neither felt to comfortable talking too much, and before the conversation could become awkward, the door to the room opened, and a blue-haired man glanced at the children. Azura and the other Vallite girls being in the fort, Kamui was the first one to react :

"Uncle Cratos !", he exclamed, rushing to meet him.

"Hey there, little one !", Cratos chuckled as he messed with his white hair. "You scared us all to death, you know that ? We have been wondering for quite a while where you had all disappeared."

"I am so sorry, Father", Azura apologized. "I was the one who led everyone in here, because it was too dark outside for us to play, and I thought..."

"You did well, darling. Now, all of you, come out. Let's go find your parents, alright ?"

"But Uncle," Corrin said, "Elise and Sakura are already sleeping." And it didn't look as if Leo and Takumi would let her get up either. Cratos blinked, went to their homemade nest, and let out a small laugh of understanding.

"Well then, we can't have the princesses woken up at this unholy hour, don't you agree ? Stay in here, I'll come back."

The Vallite king then disappeared in a similar fashion to how he had arrived, leaving the children to their cozy nest. All of them gathered under the blankets, where it was safe and warm and quiet, even a restless Kamui, who pouted when he noticed there was no room left next to his twin or step-sister, forcing him to stick to his cousin. Leo was the first to break the silence :

"So we're going to go home now ?"

The young boy didn't look confident as to what the arrival of their parents meant, but his intuition seemed like the correct one. In the silence surrounding them, each of them suddenly felt alone, as if the only way for them to feel at ease was staying like this, in their frail little home, together. It didn't matter that they came from different countries – from waring countries, even – ; to them, that night spent sharing fears and warmth far from the sight of any man and woman was already one of their fondest memories.

"Well, that means we're going to have to meet again !", Kamui decided with his brightest smile. "So we can play together again !"

"That would be nice, indeed", Azura agreed.

"I don't know... we might not see each other for a long time...", Xander told them. "I mean... our parents met tonight to find a peaceful solution to the tensions between our knigdoms, but... if they haven't found any..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean", Ryoma muttered under his breath. "But," he gave them a warm glance, "whatever happens, one day, we will most likely be able to meet again. We should just hold onto that."

Camilla glanced towards Lilith, who nodded happily. The children exchanged wishes from their new friends, and promised to definitely meet again one day, like this, without worrying about any war or any tensions. Then the adults interrumpted their farewells, and they were split into three groups, as they had been at the beginning of the evening. Sakura and Elise, as they woke up, started screaming and crying louder than ever before. Somehow, that felt fitting as well.

* * *

Years later -

"So today's the day, huh ?"

"Seems so... I'm going to miss you, brother."

"And I you, sister. Take care."

Azura gave her mother a sad smile as they watched silently the twins' farewell. Arete kissed her daughter's forehead with a proud look on her face, before commenting on how strong she was. The Crown princess chuckled lovingly ; she didn't think of herself as strong, or even as powerful, but she needed to be, or to look the part : the journey they were going on would certainly be easier for her than for her cousins. As years passed, she had grown into a beautiful woman and a talented songstress, much like her mother, but from where she stood, the children of Anankos and Mikoto were even more unique. Kamui turned to meet her gaze and forced a grin into his hardened features. A lock of his hair fell before his eyes, and she wished she could just reach out to pin it his ear as she had done, years before, with her father. He no longer looked like the boy he had been. All his training and studies had molded him into a tall yet slender young man and a fine swordsman. Rumor had it his father had once explained to him that his duty as Azura's cousin was to protect her, even if he wasn't her direct successor, and that the boy had taken this information to heart, working more intently than any knight to become her one protector. His dragon blood must have been weaker than his sisters, for he lacked the ability to transform into one, but it still affected his features : no one could miss the sharpness of his gaze or the strange shape of his ears. As for Corrin, she had turned her back on any form of martial training, preferring tomes to swords and axes ; she had even become a brilliant strategist and scholar. Although she was far from extroverted, many found her attractive, with her straight, long hair and haunting eyes – and it was a fact well known around the palace that she wore the dark mage outfit better than anyone.

"They will be fantastic in court, don't you think ? Of course, that goes for you and Lilith too."

"I know. Yet I can't help but feel worried... they are not used to being separated like this."

"Well... unfortunately, they will have to cross that line one day or another. And if they're occupied, perhaps they won't notice it too much ?"

I don't believe it will be so easy, Mother... As the diplomatic tensions between Nohr and Hoshido grew stronger, Valla decided to make a move to ensure some stability with both nations. And what better way of making peace than with a marriage ? It had been decided, without the Vallite children's opinion, that Azura, Crown princess of Valla, and Kamui, third in line of succession, would spend some time at the Hoshidan court, while Corrin, second in line, and Lilith, fourth in line of succession, would go to the Nohrian one. Their goal was, first and foremost, to ease the tensions from the inside – however difficult that could be – and, if possible, to find a spouse among the royal families. Marrying a Vallite to any of those princes and princesses would allow Arete to have some influence on Sumeragi and Garon – not only as friends, but as allies. Azura's choice, more than anything, would be of the utmost importance. She was the Crown princess, after all.

"Well, it's time to go, now. Goodbye, Mother. I will be waiting for your letter."

"Yes, and I for yours. Be safe, my child."

The twins hugged one last time before kissing their parents' cheeks and hearing their final pieces of advice. Then Lilith appeared and joined them, her yellowish eyes burning with tears as she embraced her father and Mikoto, then Kamui. He kissed her on the forehead to wish her a good journey, and she returned the gesture with a smile. By the time Azura had managed to reach them, a servant announced that their carriages were ready and waiting for them. She merely had the time to kiss her cousins goodbye before leaving. Leaving for Hoshido, in her case.

 _Corrin, Lilith, I wish you a safe travel to Nohr. May you find what you are looking for there. But more than anything else : stay safe. This is not Valla we are talking about. I hope... you will be alright_.

* * *

 **Final comments !**

 **So after the timeskip, here are the ages for the main characters :**

 **Azura / Corrin / Kamui : 20**

 **Lilith : 21**

 **Xander / Ryoma : 25**

 **Camilla / Hinoka : 22**

 **Leo / Takumi : 19**

 **Elise / Sakura : 16**

 **Next chapter will introduce the siblings of each country (and their retainers) as they are now. You will find that they have grown into different characters, quite often, but I'll do my best to tie their behaviour and personality to those of the games. Also, in case you were wondering about the avatar's retainers, they will appear at some point, but not necessarily how you'd expect... Now then, till next chapter !**


	2. Chapter 2

The Vallite Way

 **Author's notes :**

 **Hey there ! Hope you're having a nive summer ! As far as I'm concerned, I probably should focus more on the books I have to read and learn for next year – but hey, writing is much funnier ! (Though I don't think that will convince my teachers...) Anyway !**

 **I noticed while re-reading the prologue that I wrote something that could be contrary (but luckily it's not really important) : from what I understand, the strategist and the dark mage are different classes, but to make things easier I'll have Corrin wear one outfit or the other depending on the circumstances. That doesn't change the fact that she remains a strategist. Also, in case you were wondering, Lilith is now a troubadour – in reference to the fact that, in canon, she doesn't fight with the main character but instead heals and protects them from afar (or in their castle) – and who knows ? She may promote !**

 **Chapter 1 : The Vallite Way**

Lilith couldn't help it. In the silence going for the two of them, she found herself staring at her younger sister, wondering if she already had a plan to have Nohr and Hoshido make peace once and for all. Knowing Corrin, that wouldn't be such a surprise. The older twin was heir to the throne in case something happened to Azura ; as such, she had been taught just as much as her cousin about diplomacy and military tactics. But there was more to it, and her older sister often wondered whether Queen Arete knew just how far her niece's knowledge went. She was the strongest among the descendants of Anankos, the wisest, and without a doubt the more cunning. From her mother's side, she had inherited a certain patience ; from her father's, the gift of knowing how to balance opposite forces. No doubt she had been sent to Nohr rather than Hoshido. Even Princess Azura wasn't as clever when it came to people : in the Nohrian court, unfamous for its lies and assassinations, she would merely be a prey for the most influencial nobles – Corrin, however, was always the hunter.

"Is something wrong, sister ?", the white-haired princess asked, looking up from her book. "You look rather pale."

"It's nothing, I assure you. I was... only wondering..."

"About what ?"

"You don't seem scared or worried at the prospect of staying in Nohr... so far from home, and... and Kamui, too. Do you have a plan already ?"

"As things are, I don't." She left her book aside, allowing her blue-haired sibling to take a look at its title. Something about the fall of an empire. "Although I have been receiving letters from Prince Xander and Princess Elise, neither was able to give me enough details to know for sure what could happen. I dare say they couldn't, rather than wouldn't. Being among the oldest children of King Garon, I guess they have to watch their every move. Giving away too much to a Vallite royal could be the death of any of them."

"So, what are we going to do ?"

"You are scared, aren't you ?" Lilith avoided her crimson glare, her cheeks getting heated. Corrin let out a warm chuckle. "Don't be. I will be right there, with you. If you ever feel unsure, come to me."

"I should be the one protecting you."

"That's what they expect, truly. Perhaps we can surprise them."

Surprise. That was a word Lilith had become used to hearing when it came to her siblings. How surprising their features were. How surprising that Kamui was so talented with a weapon. How surprising that Corrin could be so manipulative. Her sister didn't dare ask what first move she would make. There was only so much she could understand, and somehow, hearing the strategist mention the need to change the waring nations from the inside wasn't part of it. The formulation was undoubtedly vague, and she could only guess why. Those couldn't be her sister's words : she believed Queen Arete was somewhere behind the whole operation, and it could only mean one thing. Marriage. _One thing's for sure_ , the young lady thought to herself, _if she plans on marrying Corrin to Prince Xander, that would clearly change everything. And if she sent us her so that she can seduce him... he has no chance_. A quick glance to her younger sibling comforted this last idea. Corrin was now looking through the window, detailing the Nohrian landscape with an unreadable expression. She had tied her white hair into a complicated bun at the back of her head, with only a select few silvery locks framing her slender face. Someone, her mother probably, had convinced her of wearing some make up on her eyes, making them look both sharper and more alluring. As if she needed such illusions : in her black and blue gown, the princess looked ready to tear any noble standing in her way to shreds – and she would look definitely good doing so. Her dragonstone fell on her chest, and the way each piece of clothing had been arranged allowed her to move freely, and for much of her skin to be seen. Her bare legs and arms, circled with several golden torques that matched Azura's, hid the monstruosity of her dragon powers under the skin of a gorgeous maiden. _Oh clearly, Prince Xander is not ready for what's coming_ , Lilith thought with an amused grin. _He has no idea_.

"We have now reached the Hoshidan territory, Your Highnesses", a stewart announced calmly to the prince and princess, who were taking a few minutes to rest before going on with their journey. The Crown princess nodded slightly, and the princess thanked the servant as warmly s if he had known him for his entire life – something the poor man clearly wasn't expecting, since he hurriedly bowed to them before returning to his post.

Kamui instinctively frowned, but soon forgot his worries to focus on his cousin. Azura had found a tree to lean on near the road, and could be seen breathing quite heavily. He had to resist the urge to harass her with questions on her health ; after all, she was probably only tired. Not that he could be surprised, really : it felt as if they had left their own castle days before, and yet they had only reached the border. A part of himself couldn't help but wonder about his twin sister : had she already reached her destination herself ? Was she alright ? The young prince ended up shaking his head – now wasn't the ideal moment to think about such things – and, offering his hand to his cousin, proposed gently :

"Should you need to rest, we can stay here a little longer. Tell me, how do you feel ?"

"I'm fine, Kamui. Thanks for worrying, you're too kind. But I assure you, I'm only tired. This trip is longer than expected. I guess I miss by room already."

"It is true that you don't often travel such great distances. You shall have plenty of rest once we reach Castle Shisaragi. I'm certain King Sumeragi won't mind."

"You may be right. However, my resting will have to wait. His wife, Queen Ikona, was buried recently ; we must offer our most sincere condoleances before anything else."

"True. How are the siblings coping with the loss ? What did Ryoma write in his last letter ?"

"Well, as you'd expect, they are all shocked her illness killed her off so quickly. Hioka cried day and night after her death. As for Takumi and Sakura, they are devastated, but the former doesn't want to be seen as weaker than his older brother, and the latter said something about how the time of mourning was to be brief in order for them to live as their mother wanted them to."

"Heh, as expected of them. I imagine Ryoma didn't want to let anyone down either, so he ut on that strong, serious façade of his again, isn't it ?" Azura nodded, smiling sadly. She knew perfectly well what he meant. "Perhaps we will be of help to them. It certainly would do them some good to think of something else."

"You are right, but let's be careful. We don't want to rush them, much less to have them think of us as enemies."

The young man found himself nodding mecanically, not quite listening to her. He had caught a glance of something – or rather, someone – moving around in the woods. With a touch on her wrist, he had his cousin pay attention to their surroundings : together, they studied the springtime scenery and its radiant colours, taking deep breaths every once and a while not to interrumpt the sounds of the Hoshidan wilderness. They exchanged a glance, and Azura pulled at her knight's arm firmly to convince him to fall back for now. She knew him all too well : she knew of his passion for the battlefield and his unwavering loyalty to herself, but risking his life now, in this country he had yet to visit, while there weren't many men to protect them was a suicide mission.

"Let's keep moving, Kamui", she ordered in her quietest voice, fearing to be heard by anyone – though the silence of the woods betrayed noone. He sighed, sounding almost disappointed, and called for the stewart to get ready to move. Then the two Vallite cousins walked to their carriage hand in hand, as they had done it so many times before, back in their familiar castle.

With each new step, Lilith felt close to passing out. Reaching the Northern Fortress in the middle of the night was already a tiring adventure in itself, but having to meet the king and his oldest children before getting any rest was a torture. Even Corrin didn't look pleased – and gods knew she was a good actress. Her sibling could only imagine what she could be thinking now. Was she cold, with her bare feet on the stone floor of the fortress ? Was she as tired as the servants surrounding them, or as the guards who had first greeted them as they passed the gates ? She couldn't say. There was also a chance that she was preparing her first move – whatever that could be – and Lilith sticked to that idea. It was never too early – or in that case, too late – to put one's plan into action. And if that meant leaving that bloody fortress, she couldn't be happier.

A massive door opened, and before the sisters could even turn around, two pairs of arms tackled them into a bear hug. Lilith's face was pressed against a woman's shoulder (she definitely could tell from the very exposed cleavage of said lady), making her blush and stutter nervously. Corrin was luckier, in a way ; she could hear her laugh enthousiastically – that was a sound she couldn't quite fake.

"Big sister Corrin ! It's been soooo long ! I missed you so much, y'know ?"

"I can't agree enough, sweet Elise", the Vallite princess answered fondly. "It's nice to see you again. You've grown so much ! And you too, Princess Camilla."

Lilith finally escaped her old friend's embrace, and let out a relieved sigh when she met her purple gaze. "I'm so happy to see you again", she confessed heartily. "Writing letters just doesn't feel the same."

"I agree, my dear."

The oldest child of Anankos held the Nohrian first princess close to her chest, ignoring their height difference and her past awkwardness ; Camilla was warm and comforting, and she couldn't put words to how happy she was to meet her again after so many years. Their last meeting had taken place on a summer, years before, to celebrate the coming of age of Crown princess Azura. They had written each other letters after that, of course, but somehow that wasn't the same. Somehow, they needed this touch, this embrace, to be certain that, _yes_ , that was their best friend. Lilith bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out of emotion. She had so many things to tell her, and so many stories to ask her. Was the court as dangerous as it used to ? What about her mother : was she really cruel enough to have her kill her siblings ? But those questions would have to wait, for King Garon and his oldest sons had arrived behind the two princesses, and Corrin was already bowing respectfully at them. Her older sister imitated her as gracefully as her tired limbs would allow her to. There was a small laugh, and the king told them to stand up straight. As they did, he pulled both of them in a tight embrace – well, now I know where Camilla got this habit of hers...

"My favourite Vallite princesses do us the honour of their arrival", he announced with that deep voice of his. From a while, he remained silent, watching them both with his tiny eyes. Lilith feared that he would get mad at them, but his features relaxed almost immediately. "Finally. We were getting worried about you. I already sent a patrol looking for you, in case some ruffians had attacked you. You Vallite people always travel so lightly, it wouldn't have been hard to attack you..."

"You are far too kind, Your Majesty", Corrin said. "Our trip was longer than expected, but we were perfectly safe. Don't worry about us. You should call back your men, however. If there are truly ruffians around here, they shouldn't remain outdoors."

"Ha ! A true strategist as always. Good. I am certain you will find this fortress interesting enough. What about you, dear Lilith ? Oh, I see your hair is getting redder with each passing year. It looks quite beautiful, truly."

"You are took kind, You Majesty."

"Look, Father !", Elise called out, tugging at his sleeve. "It's like mine !"

"Haha, indeed, my child, but yours is not natural. See, Corrin, she decided a few months ago to have some of her locks dyed to ressemble your hair."

"I did notice your hair looked different. It's really beautiful, I'm flattered."

"She said she wanted to look more like a mature lady", Xander added from where he stood, his hand on his youngest sibling's shoulder. His lips curled into a grin, lessening the frow on his forehead. He wore a full armor, as black as his other siblings'. Quite a shame, if you asked Lilith. Nohrians were known for being quite stylish, yet the royal family was mostly seen were combat clothes, the only exception being Elise, who, like Lilith, was a troubadour. "And it happens that she considers you to be the ideal lady, the example to follow."

"Could it be that you disagree ?"

"Not at all." The Crown prince then took her hand and left a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "It is a pleasure to see you again, little princess." The Vallite princess gave him a fond smile, her cheeks ever so slightly flushed. Something about this image made Lilith smile on the inside. He did look like one of thoses princes from the fairytales her father read to her when she was younger. Strong, talented, reliable, graceful and protective – many women must have dreamed of such a prince, and even more so, of such a possible husband. Unfortunately, she also recalled that Corrin was never interested in that type of character, nor in the princess's for all it mattered. To her, only witches and villains excited her curiosity.

How fitting, therefore, that the last member to come greet them would be the Sorcerer Prince.

"Here we are..." Azura's sigh came like a breeze after the heavy silence they had witnessed during the last hours of their trip. Hoshido was such a beautiful, resourceful country – it truly was a shame that its people was so unwilling to accept anything from the outside, including them. No matter what village they visited, the reactions were the same : most people would keep working as if their carriage wasn't even there, and the other would just stare at them with eyes full of distrust until they were far enough to be criticized loudly. The closer they got to the capital, the worse. A group of ninja, sent by the royal family itself, had joined their compagny to escort them to Castle Shisaragi, and the pair of Vallite royals had a hard time not mentionning how uncomfortable they felt in their presence. Being surrounded by such strange and quiet spies didn't feel reassuring at all – quite the contrary, in fact – but neither dared refuse them. King Sumeragi probably didn't send them with the mission to scare them away, but it did tell a lot about the situation Hoshido was currently in. A wealthy country, ruled by a powerful dynasty and a well-loved king, but worried only about what lied within its borders and rejected anything that would come from its neightbours : Nohr, obviously, but also Valla. "It seems we will have much to do", the young woman added as lowly as she could. Her cousin nodded slightly as they reached the gates of the palace.

"Milady, milord", a new voice called. Azura jumped slightly before recognizing the green-haired ninja that had first introduced himself when they had met. "We have reached your destination. I was just informed that the royal family was on its way." Kamui thanked him cheerfully and proceded to step outside before holding out his hand to encourage his cousin. "I hope I did not scare you, milady."

"Worry not... Kaze, is it ?" He nodded with a pleasant smile. "The trip must have tired me out more than I expected it would, I'm jumpier than I used to." She took the offered hand gratefully and made a few hesitant steps outside. The air smelled of cherry blossoms and spices. The gardens they had been driven in was quiet and peaceful, as were most things in Hoshido according to her memories. None of the sounds of the city could be heard over the slow brushing of the leaves and the steady clicks and clacks of the sôzu.

"Haha, a good night of rest will surely do the trick. Perhaps a little of Hinoka's tea would help..."

"Heh, she doesn't look like one to make tea for anyone today...", Azura tittered slowly, gesturing towards the castle for him to see a group approching in the distance. It took the young man less than a second to identify each of the five silhouettes. The Crown princess saw a smile threaten the line of his lips.

The Vallite royals bowed calmly, as tradition would have it in those lands, and were met by the same gesture opposite them. By the time they had taken their former position, Crown prince Ryoma was already standing before them, his arms opened to welcome them both. Kamui didn't waste the opportunity to mention how he had grown to look just like his father – to the point that it was indeed frightening – and to add that he was crushing them with his crimson armor. The older prince bursted out laughing before messing with his white-haired counterpart's hair, which earned him the immediate scolding from his sister.

"Brother, be cautious ! Weren't you the one to say that they'd be tired after such a trip ?" Hinoka's long scarlet hair swayed as she turned to meet their guests. She wore a gentle yet sad smile on her face – they had already been told that she had been affected more than any of the siblings by the death of her mother. "It's wonderful to see you two again. It feels like ages since we last met in person !"

"And it _was_ ages ago, dear Hinoka", Kamui said. "I am infinitely sorry for not having been able to come for your mother's funeral. Queen Ikona truly was one of a kind, I can't imagine how hard this must have been on you all."

 _As expected of Kamui_ , Azura thought to herself. _He coud say anything, even the worst cliché, and it would sound genuine. What a smooth talker. No wonder he was sent here rather than to Nohr_.

Sakura, the youngest sibling, made a little sound of distress, probably remembering her late mother, before being soothed down by her older brother, whose sharp eyes were clouded by grief. Azura took it upon herself to talk. "Both of you have grown so much. And you, Sakura – you have grown into such a lovely young woman... Just like your mother." The Hoshidan princess smiled through blurry eyes and flushed cheeks, wiping her first tears with the back of her hand. Takumi messed up with her hair in a quite heartwarming way, before thanking the Crown princess with a glance.

King Sumeragi interrumpted whatever his second son was about to say, greeting the two foreign royals as officially as expected. His figure was impressive : Azura was used to Anankos' slender silhouette, and remembered easily her father's, but neither had such a strong built. His ressemblance to his older son added to this first impression : Ryoma had grown into a ghost of his father – same dark mane, same seriousness, same armor even. In comparison, Kamui looking nothing like his father, although, if she was honest, he and his twin sister shared nothing with their parents, contrary to Lilith or Azura herself. She supposed it had to do with the mysteries of genetics – something she wasn't too familiar with – and left it aside to listen to Sumeragi's short eulogy of her late father. He said, among many things, that King Cratos had been more than than a friend to him ; he dared calling him his brother, and admitted that, no matter how they'd argue, they would always come to terms with each others, as siblings should. There was more behing this last sentence that Azura first understood. Truth was, the trip had tired her out, making her regret that they hadn't stopped more frequently along the way, and recalling her father, who had died of disease only a few months before, wasn't helpful. Kamui came to her side, as reassuring a presence as anyone could, to show his – their – respects to the monarch, and to ask for his forgiveness :

"We are probably more tired than we expected. Would it be possible to rest some time ? You could tell us everything that has happened since last time we met – what do you think ?"

King Sumeragi nodded ; as if on cue, Ryoma offered his arm to Azura, who accepted his offer gratefully, while Hinoka started showing Kamui around. Takumi and Sakura remained silent, exchanging a glance only they could understand, following the rest.

 _"Dear brother,_

 _I hope you have reached your destination without meeting any form of trouble. If your travel was as tiring as mine, you probably need some time to rest – a few days should do. As for Lilith and I, do not worry yourself. We are currently in the Northern Fortress. As you can guess, we were sent her to avoid King Garon's mistresses. They still rule Castle Krakenburg, that much is certain. You should have seen Elise's face when I mentioned how glad I was to finally meet their other siblings. To think even a child like her could face such cruelty... I didn't dare ask Leo if he had been forced to kill to survive. I suppose the answer is yes, for all of them. Starting tomorrow, I plan on learning anything I can about this country's situation. I must put to profit every second I spend in this fortress, so that when I'm at Krakenburg, no one can best me._

 _Be safe._

 _Your sister."_

6


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note : Aaand I noticed too late that I hadn't put the lines between each POV change – I knew that I had forgotten something, but, as always, that something only became clear afterwards. Anyways, I hope it was still understandable, and I will try not to forget from now on !**

 **So this chapter will mostly focus on the interactions with the royals. Don't worry though, their time will come ! Also, as promised, the new retainers of Xander, Camilla and Leo will be seen – and you know them all. Their positions might seem odd because those are characters you wouldn't imagine either bonding with the royals, or serving those royals in particular, but I will truy my hardest to make clear why I think they could get along. Now, without further due...**

The Shell

If there was _one_ thing Kamui was talented at, it was making people come out of their shells. Be it Azura's natural shyness or Corrin's meticulous ways, he could always find something, anything, to reach them. This was best seen in Valla, when his twin sister would stay in the library for days, until he'd propose a game, an adventure of sorts, to have her follow him. No matter what new tome or novel she would be reading, he would find a way to have her open up to the world instead of focusing on whatever task she had appointed herself to. Azura had often seen the two of them training, exploring the town's market or basically bonding in ways she, being a lone child, could only imagine. She remembered having envied that bond of theirs when she was younger : seeing them share a room, whisper secrets into one another's ears, made her feel far away from them. Lilith seemed to be in the same situation, even being their sibling : both blue-haired girls had supposed it had something to do with being twins. At some point, rumor had it they were able to speak to each other in their minds – but that was merely a pitiful explanation to how well they understood each other. Azura knew, at the end of the day, were best friends more than they were brother and sister (which wasn't surprising, given how few people their age there were in the castle). And while that jealousy never fully disappeared, she learnt to keep it in check, like any princess should. That allowed her to think of them not as a duet, but as two distinct people. And it was Kamui she could figure out the more.

Spending so much time as the only boy of the family, he had become used to being courteous in front of any lady without any regards to her birth or condition. Some called him a ladies' man ; his cousin considered him more like an ever-surprising knight. One day, he would propose her a walk in the gardens ; the following, he would follow Sakura around, helping her with her duties as a priestess while – as he put it – keeping track of everything that had happened since their last meeting. Today, he was focusing on Hinoka. The two had been friends as far as Azura could remember. Writing letters when separated, folding paper cranes when reunited, sharing tea as soon as they had the chance. While most people would expect him to befriend Ryoma, or even Takumi, more easily, Kamui had become the first princess of Hoshido's best friend and confident. He had been the first one to get a letter from the Hoshidan siblings after the death of their mother – not even Corrin had received anything from them. And that was, according to the Crown princess of Valla, because he was so easy to trust and to talk to, that not even the worst criminal in the continent could hold a grudge against him.

When her mother had informed her that she would travel to Hoshido with him, she had first wondered why. From where she stood, Corrin was much more efficient than her brother when it came to convincing people : surely she would be able to have King Sumeragi agree to Nohr's terms of peace. Surely she would be able to seduce Ryoma, to make sure Valla had a say in Hoshido's affairs. Now it became clear why it hadn't been that way. While Corrin was best known her cold, manipulative reasoning, Kamui was the sociable twin, the one who could make anyone break free from their loneliness, just like Valla hoped he would break Hoshido free from its past policies. As she watched the young man learn to wield a naginata with princess Hinoka, Azura sighed, smiling to herself. _To think he only needed two days to make her start this training. He is much more talented than I gave him credit for_.

Light footsteps made the foreign princess tear her eyes from the pair ; she gave a small nod to the newcomer before remembering Corrin's advices on the Hoshidan siblings.

"Good day, Takumi. I hope you are doing well."

"Yes, good day to you too, princess Azura. Did you manage to get some rest ?"

"I did, thank you for your concern." The young man squirmed lightly, as if he had been about to retort that he wasn't concerned. Azura knew better than to push him into saying it out loud. She chose to focus on what he was carrying. "Some paperwork to do, I see."

"Not exactly. Letters to send."

 _He clearly doesn't want or doesn't like to talk to me. Let's leave it here._ "I see. I have better not slow you down, then." He gave her a gently nod, and even the hints of a smile, which prompted her to add. "If I may..." It was so tempting to ask whether she could see him train, one day, or even train beside him. She had only rarely seen the Fujin Yumi at work before – and even then, she hadn't actually seen it : people, most likely her father's counselors, had told her about takumi's talent. And yet it was something she yearned to see for herself. Ryoma's Raijinto, although it was a beautiful and equally sacred weapon, felt too deadly to admire, whereas the light that made the young prince's arrows was said to be so gentle and sharp at the same time, that she believed no one could describe it with words. Plus, even though she wouldn't admit it so easily, she had always been pretty curious about the young man : unlike his older siblings, he wasn't very talkative in front of other royals, and, unlike his younger sister, he didn't seem to suffer from any sort of shyness – which made the Vallite Crown princess wonder why he always behaved so diferently towards her, than he did towards his retainers or even Corrin and Leo. So she asked – no harm could come of it, after all : "It would be a wonderful honor to be able to see you train, one day, and see with my own eyes how talented you are with the Fujin Yumi."

"Oh", he sighed. She couldn't help but grin slightly. He was expecting something else, surely. "Of course. Let's train together some time. I wouldn't mind that. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

With a gentle nod, he was off, and Azura focused back on her cousin's training, although he didn't seem to care much for his naginata, chatting with Hinoka rather their teaching or learning anything. He took notice of her presence, somehow, and gave her a confident smile, one she was more than familiar with, before inviting her to join them – all the while shouting to make sure she heard him, which made poor Hinoka jump and look around for the heiress to appear. _Well, I couldn't just stay around without doing anything, could I ?_

* * *

Although her first impressions concerning the Northern Fortress had been less than positive, Lilith was starting to enjoy her stay in the old, stern building. It was a cold and hard place, as expected, yet the gentle melody of the rain falling on the high windows was comforting, and the many fireplaces provided its inhabitants with a more than welcome warmth after each passing day. There wasn't much to do outside of the walls except from patrolling – not that she minded : it meant more time for her and Camilla to share. There was always more to remember, more to show one another. The Vallite princess was proud to heal her best friend after a rough training schedule, as her Nohrian counterpart was glad to introduce her to the staff members she knew best. But if they had to pick only one activity, they would say in unison that going to the hot baths together was the best way to make up for lost time. Lilith had always loved the heat ; some said it was due to her dragon blood, which used to grow easily cold and naturally longed for warmth and sun without ever risking to get burnt. Whatever the reason, she was never one to deny her royal host a visit to the baths. Being only the two of them, they could discuss whatever topic they liked and expect not to be bothered by anyone. If anything, no one would dare cross their paths. And so Camilla started :

"What did you think of our retainers so far ? Aren't they adorable, all of them ?"

"Oh, yes", the young woman answered hurriedly. _Adorable_ and _sweet_ were words Camilla used so often it usually sounded as if she was talking about puppies instead of people. "Even though I have to say, Beruka is quite intimidating. It's a real mystery to me how she gets along with Felicia."

"Aha, well, my darling girls mostly cooperate. Beruka isn't the type to get along with anyone, and it pains me so much..."

"And Leo's retainers are... truly... unique, you could say. I cannot understand how he came to take them in..."

"Well, he was curious about Niles, I suppose. As for Keaton... no one really knows how it happened. One day, Leo just came home with him and declared him his retainer. That's all."

"Then what about Elise's ? In all honesty, even I am starting to get a little worried about Arthur's bad luck, and just how much food does Effie eat in a day ? No wonder this country is starving, she eats as much as a whole army !"

"And she has the strenght of one ! I am worried too, you know. But you may be happy to find either of them next to you on the battlefield." Camilla let out a soft sigh. "And what did you think of Silas and Peri ? Aren't they cute too ?"

"They – They sure are, yes !", Lilith couldn't help but stutter slightly. "A funny pair, but I think I can see why Xander appreciates them."

"Oh, and why, if I may ask ?"

"Well, Peri takes pleasure in killing, which isn't good _per se_ , but that can be useful on the battlefield. I guess it's better than being scared or traumatized. And Silas... Silas seems like a very honorable man, so I have no doubt he tries to reason her when he can... if he can."

"Oh, you seem rather fond of him already, aren't you ?"

Her cheeks grew as red as the tip of her locks, and she stammered back :

"What about you ? The poor man looked so embarrassed when you introduced him ! Was there something between the two of you ?"

Perhaps there had been, perhaps not – Camilla's shrug, to which she added a wink of her own, left the question hanging in the air. If her answer had been clearer, Lilith would have simply laughed at the poor man's awkwardness, or tried to learn more about them. Her best friend was a beautiful woman, there was no denying that. Hell, even as a female, she was troubled by her grace and by the power she radiated when she entered a room. Although she was mostly focused on the battlefield, training hours everyday with her two retainers, some wondered whether she had ever had feelings – romantic ones – toward anyone. But still. She was a princess of Nohr – the oldest one, too – and that came with obligations Lilith understood all too well. Camilla's fate was eerily similar to that of her young sister, as both would probably be married off to some foreign prince to keep peace, while being much more comfortable with a weapon in their hands. She couldn't imagine either of them having a married life without feeling pity and disappointment : surely they deserved far more than just becoming someone's spouse.

"Have you ever had... I don't know how to put this..." As her best friend urged her, Lilith blurted out, "you know, a crush on someone ?"

Camilla's look would have been priceless if she wasn't the one she stared at so intently. She looked as if her Vallite friend had just proposed something ludicrous – or rather, something unexpected. But she did think a while before answering, and her features relaxed at the thought of whoever crossed her mind.

"I did... A long time ago. It feels like an eternity since that day. I'm over it, now, but I still think of that time as a wonderful moment."

"Whoever the lucky man was, he must've been something to charm you !"

"Heh, you could say that, I guess. Although, if I'm honest..."

"Yes ?"

"... Nothing, forget it. I don't know exactly what I wanted to say myself." There was a short silence, interrumpted only by the steady song of the water moving with them. "Don't you think we should go ? It's high time someone takes your sister out of that library ! Plus, each of my siblings has had some time to enjoy her compagny except for me !"

Lilith followed her out of the baths with a genuine smile. What she said was true. Corrin had hardly left the library since their arrival, going as far as to leave her room at night to read more. Which didn't surprise her older sibling : even in Valla, the second princess focused most of her time on her studies. Luckily, she also had the habit of allowing people to take her outside of her bubble – Kamui, usually, took that role at heart. Sometimes, although rarely, Corrin would stop her studying to walk around the fortress, train or simply talk to whomever she found first ; Lilith could tell it was because their brother had insisted on that point before leaving to Hoshido himself. Most of the Nohrian royal siblings had taken profit of these opportunities to make up for lost time. Elise had organized several tea parties, which she seemed to enjoy more because of the gossiping than because of the actual tea. Xander joined her in every training session – he was that kind of man, after all. Leo had, so far, been the luckiest of them all, since he, too, spent an unholy amount of time in the library. According to his older sister, even his retainers hadn't seen him so interested in books for a while. Lilith didn't mention anything after hearing that statement, but as she combed her wet, heavy locks, she wondered whether he found the books or his old friend more interesting.

* * *

Hoshidan nights showed a surprising contrast to the heat and vibrant hues of the daylight. Watching as Shisaragi Castle was bathed in the silver moonlight, Kamui couldn't help but stare at the sky, where it seemed, for a moment, that the stars were dancing and, to put it plainly, moving, before his very eyes. _Uh-oh_ , thought the young man. _Guess I overdid it_. His naginata laid next to him, abandoned, and he had to give up on reaching out to it. His hand – his hands – ached in a way he hadn't felt for a few months already. The pain slowly but surely invaded both his arms, although he could tell from experience that his back and legs weren't in any shape to help him. _I really should try to be more careful. My dragon blood does help to reduce the pain, but when its powers run out... damn, it hurts even more_. To add to his misery, he recalled that both his sisters, who could have healed him – or perhaps carried him back to his chambers while complaining about his carelessness – weren't there by his side ; they literally were in another kingdom – and thinking about it made him feel even more tired.

The young prince let out a defeated sigh at the sky before a sort of smile graed his features. There was some comfort to be found in imagining Lilith and Corrin watching this very same sky from wherever they might be. As children, they had done that a lot – sneaking out of their respective rooms to meet in the gardens, and lay down to count stars, name constellations and try to guess what time of the night it was. Sometimes, a maid would see them and try to convince them to go back to their chambers, but they'd refuse, saying it was their dragon blood that wanted to feel the freedom of the night air. To foreigners, it wasn't a surprise, but the Vallite royal siblings had always complained about the height of the walls : it made it hard to see anything outside, and they would have been busted by the guards if they were found climbing onto them. However, it did force them to develop their imagination, and even, in a funny way, their love for stories. Kamui had taken a liking to knight stories, and years later, there he was : outside of the walls, far from home, in a quest for peace that, for once, didn't start on a battlefield. He was content, and even slightly proud, of having made it so far, but it also meant leaving both his sisters in a foreign land. A sacrifice he had trouble accepting.

As he sighed again, a low thump echoed behind him. Kamui jumped on his feet, surprised out of the blue, not taking the time to reach for his weapon. The intruder, if he dared call her that, was none other than Sakura. The shy girl blushed at his sudden movement, and immediatly raised both hands in front of her as if she wanted to calm him : "It... i-it's just me !"

"Oh, man... I am sorry, princess Sakura, I didn't hear you come. Did I scare you ?"

"Oh, n-not really ! Don't worry." She looked down to her hands, which she seemed not to know what to do with. "I, um, thought you weren't feeling well, so I..."

"You..." Kamui's tired mind took a moment to fully understand what she didn't say. "Princess Sakura, correct me if I'm wrong, but... you are a Shrine Maiden, right ? A healer ?" She nodded slowly, showing her festal as a proof. "I see. Then, I must apologize for being so rude and selfish, but... would you mind helping me for a second ? I... I think I went too far with my training, so..."

"I understand. Please allow me to heal you. You... you should sit down, it will only take an instant."

The young man did as told, sitting – or rather, falling as gracefully as he managed – so that she could use her magic. Closing his eyes, Kamui believed, for only a second, the energy wave from her festal actually radiated from Lilith, and he heard her sigh about his bad habits. Dont worry, he thought, I'm just fine. Neither nor Corrin would believe him : at the first occasion, they'd mention it to their parents, even if it was only for the sake of teasing him. His father would most likely laugh at their antics ; his mother would want to convince to be less brutal – although she wasn't any better than his sisters at the job. Remembering those funny times as if they belongeg to some ancient past, Kamui looked back up to the sky. The same sky he could see in Valla, yet he felt so far away.

"Are... are you alright ?", the young princess stuttered by his side. "You look so down, is there something I can do ?" Kamui let out a disheartened sad.

"You are really perceptive, princess. I am sorry, please, don't worry about me. Maybe I'm feeling a little homesick. It's nothing serious."

The confused look in her eyes was his only answer. As both of them returned inside the castle – Sakura insisting on seeing him back to his room to make sure he wouldn't faint or something – he swore he could hear Azura singing, like Queen Arete usually did. She must have had trouble leaving her parents behind too. Better not give her another reason to worry about. I'll just have to cheer her up tomorrow.

* * *

Corrin let out a yawn as she stared at the pages before her. The hard floor of the fortress felt as cold as she had expected when leaving her room. She was starting to regret not wearing a heavier gown ; her ear twitched as the low rambling of thunder echoed outside. The library, though not uncomfortable during the afternoon, became a dreadful place at nighttime ; the few candles lit on the table didn't do much against the shivering shadows surrounding her, and it took all of her patience not to run back to her cozy nest. Even her eyes were starting to tire out as she paid atention to the symbols copied on the once folded pices of paper. Leo stood beside her, his gaze running from her face to the text with high hopes. Brynhildr rested sounded under his arm. The Vallite tactitian could feel its magic reacting to its master's anticipation, and muttered slowly, finding it hard to sound assertive when her tiredness was getting the best out of her : "It does look familiar, I have to say. Unfortunately, right now, I am too tired to actually remember where I have seen these. If you will allow me, I will lend you my help when I'm more... woken up."

The second prince of Nohr didn't oppose her idea ; from what she could tell, he must have been studying since dawn, and it was high time he got some rest. "A night's rest should do us some good", she added as she folded the papers carefully before handing them to the young man. "Your vassals will kill me if I give you an excuse to sleep any less."

"I heard something along those lines. This morning, Niles came to wake me up late on purpose, and I'm almost certain Keaton stole my alarm clock to let me a broken one."

"And gods know he isn't one to lend his treasures so easily", the foreign princess commented with a grin. "That means he trusts you. You've found yourself a loyal friend."

"He is my retainer", Leo said without looking up at her face. She assumed he was embarassed at the idea of calling Niles and Keaton his friends (he was a prince, after all) ; yet no matter how she looked at it, she considered them just like that, and it made her smile to herself. Nohrians seemed to care a lot more about conventions than Vallites, as far as she could tell. As they left, she was too focused on teasing him to notice Camilla's pink-haired retainer – Felicia was her name, if she recalled correctly – and almost smashed the door to her face before apologizing immediately, worried she might have hurt the poor girl, who had fallen on the floor although it appeared she was more surprised than injured. Corrin let out a sigh as she helped her back on her feet, not caring much about what distance she was supposed to be from the commoner ; it was late, she was tired, Felicia could take some help, and before anything else, the princess had been raised to protect her people, whether by strength, by healing, or by acting the ambassador's part. Leo didn't look pleased by the maid's arrival.

"What exactly are you doing this late at night out here, in the corridors ?"

"Nothing, Lord Leo, I assure you !", the young maid hurriedly said. "I'm going back to my room now, if you'll allow me."

"Please go", Corrin said with a nod. "You might need some rest. It is high time we all find our bedrooms. Good night... Felicia." There was only a slight tremor in her voice, which urged the maid to agree and disappear from where she had arrived, blushing furiously. "You didn't need to be so harsh on the sweet girl ; she looked so scared."

"Camilla must have told you she's more or less an hostage of the Ice Tribe." _So you don't trust her._ "Anyways... you did drop the act for a second when you saw her on the ground."

"What act ?"

"The one you pull since you arrived." His eyes never locked on hers ; it was in those moments she wondered whether her crimson gaze was truly as threatening as people said. "You don't act like yourself anymore. Why ?"

"... You are overreacting. It's just taking me some time to... adjust to living in Nohr." Leo didn't look convinced as he accompanied her back to her room. She added before he could leave : "I'm worried about my brother and cousin, to be honest. Not to brag or anything, but I'm usually the one in charge when we're together, so I can't help but fear the worst when they're on their own."

"I can understand. I'm sorry for talking about an act – it just doesn't feel natural to see you so... eager to please." She smiled poorly and kissed his cheek as a "goodnight" before returning to her chambers. What could she say ? She usually wasn't a charmer – but if Valla needed her to be, then so be it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note : How long will I manage to both write and keep up with my studies ? Time shall tell ! Still ! About the pairings : I honestly haven't decided yet on which pairings will be "endgame", but I have some ideas – but I haven't made my definitive choice yet. You can of course suggest any pairing, as long as it seems natural with the changes in the characters' personality ! And now, back to the story...**

Old bonds and new rivalries.

Hinoka was used to having her fiery hair messed up in the morning. Usually, she didn't mind it ; her father said her bed hair was just like her mother's, and, even though she couldn't tell whether that was true or only some nostalgic image he had of his wife, she liked to compare it with her younger sister. Sakura, since they were both young girls, had taken the habit to come to her sister's room at dawn to comb her red locks and have her own combed in return. That was a tradition, just like the parties their family would host at the beginning of the spring when the first cherry blossoms would color the trees. But since Kamui and Azura's arrival, the Hoshidan princess was having a hard time at leaving her hair ntouched until her sibling's arrival. Training with a naginata, although it was quite exciting and somehow refreshing, did come with its lot of inconveniences, among which getting her braids tangled up. The fact that neither Azama not Setsuna knew how to properly braid them wasn't helpful either.

As such, she found herself, more often than not, struggling with her sanguine hair before sleeping and before leaving her chambers in the morning. All so that Sakura wouldn't have to spend her morning taking care of her. So that Kamui wouldn't notice anything wrong with her during their training. So that her brothers could honestly say, morning after morning, that she looked charming – as she always seemed to. In a nutshell, so that she would be a princess just like people wanted them to be. As effortlessly alluring as Camilla of Nohr, as selfless as Sakura, as dignified as Azura, as clever as Corrin... Hinoka couldn't help but sigh. Theirs were shadows hard to fit in, truly. Yet it was her duty, and she wouldn't – _couldn't_ – complain.

By the time Sakura called for her, the worst of the damage was combed out – rather, she had reverted back to a bed head of sorts, minus some knots she had taken care of patiently.

"G-good morning, sister. Do you need help ?"

"Please, Sakura, come in, you know I do", Hinoka chuckled amusedly. Her youngest sibling had always been the most timid, and that meant a lot considering how introverted Takumi could be when he bottled up his anger and concerns. As their big sister, the red-haired princess tried her best to help them : fighting her shyness, easing his doubts... that was her role. "Dear, you look exhausted. Did you stay up at night praying again ?"

"Not really. I m-mean, I did pray some time, but I ended up helping..."

"Yes ? You helped... ?"

There was a silence, then : "Ka-kamui."

Hinoka chuckled again, asking what the Vallite prince had done this time to need anyone's help. As her sister explained how he had trained too hard, to the point that even his dragon bloods couldn't produce enough stamina for him to keep up, she noticed that the young girl paled and avoided her gaze. For a moment, she wondered why. It wasn't like Sakura would expect her to get mad or to repeat those tidbits of informations to anyone. She wasn't that kind of person – unlike that Orochi her father somehow called his retainer. Not that his elder daughter minded, of course – she clearly wouldn't be in a position to criticize, knowing her own. But still, that attitude bothered the princess. First, because it reflected a terrible image of the royal family – worst of all : of the king himself. Secondly, because the castle never felt safe when she was around. It made her siblings and most of the nobles nervous to know there was this woman wandering around, ready to unveil whatever secrets she pleased. Thirdly, because the Queen – her mother, for the Dawn Dragon's sake – was now dead, and mourning should have been a time of grief and silence, not laughter and sassy remarks.

In no way Hinoka would ever reach that level. She was proud of her role in her family. Ryoma knew he could rely on her when it came to dealing with polite solemnities, Takumi that he would always find a willing ear to listen to his stories, Sakura that she would never quite be motherless as long as her sister would draw breath. And yet, now, it so happened that her sister looked distressed around her, as if speaking of the Vallite prince was some sort of taboo.

"He must have exhausted himself", the younger princess explained hurriedly. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have called for me..."

"That would be very much like him", Hinoka chuckled. "But Sakura, you underestimate yourself. You are a very talented healer, and I'm certain he knows that. The only reason I could think of for him not seeing you sooner is because he got caught up in his training."

"He... He must miss his sisters. Do you remember, Sister ? When we were still children, Corrin and Lilith would always complain... -"

"- About how he always ended up needing their help to keep up with King Kratos' training schedule ? Yes, I remember. They once told me he used to be quite a weak child."

"Really ?"

"Oh, yes." As she spoke, Hinoka had her sister sit before her so that she could braid her hair. "Now, it's hard to guess, but I do recall... on our very first meeting, he was the weakest of his siblings."

"I – I can't remember that far." Her sister let out a giggle to comfort her. It was no surprise, really. Sakura, much like Elise, were barely older than toddlers on that fateful night. When the storm that had forced them to hide in their blanket fort had broken out, they were already fast asleep, or would soon be. They could not recall Lilith's whimpering cries echoing the roars of thunder, or Kamui's hurriedness in closing each window to ease his companions' fears, or even Corrin's hushed whispers as she held her younger friends in her arms. Hinoka did remember, however, as did her brothers to some extent. She had the best memory out of them all. Her mother had taught her not to forget the allies she made on her path, and even less the obstacles she had faced – whether in the end she had overcome them or not didn't matter quite as much.

"Yes... It was such a fantastic night... Now, it seems like something from a dream." _Why have we awoken... ?_

All of King Garon's children, no matter the age or position, felt the need to prove their worth, be it by magical or military skill. Those who had attempted to show their individuality... well, most hadn't made it very far before some concubine killed them off. Xander could remember all of them ; he could still recall those younger siblings he never got to take care of, or even to befriend, due to Castle Krakenburg's internal war. Even when no one else did. He could not blame any of his surviving brothers and sisters. Camilla, who had always dreamed of having a united family, probably wouldn't be able to cope with criticism if he asked her which of them she had been forced to kill at some point of her childhood ; even though now, no one would be stupid enough to attempt anything on her life, he knew she had been nothing but a child under a manipulative mother's orders.

Perhaps he was being unfair. It wasn't as if he, himself, hadn't been able to react – there might have been something, anything, he could have done to protect his family – and asking justice for his lost siblings now would only bring more harm and despair than there already was. Xander, although he didn't like to admit it, had found himself being selfish when, after his mother died, the Concubine War had begun. He could have done something to save the weak and defenceless, or he could have action himself to avenge them. But the jealousy of knowing these women had so easily replaced the Queen in his father's heart gave him less compassion than he should have felt for their children. He had done too little, he hadn't been worthy of his title of Crown prince or oldest brother...

Sometimes, this thought still haunted him. As a result, his training would become more violent, his weapon deadlier, and his doubts heavier. No matter how much time he spent in Castle Krakenburg, he still felt a formidable repulsion towards that place and its inhabitants, to the point where he had prefered the relative peacefulness of a tent, in a military camp, to the luxury of his chambers. He felt at ease in places like the Northern fortress, yet could still understand why others found them disquieting. Corrin, for instance, rarely complained about anything, but her actions spoke volumes. He hadn't seen her outside much since her arrival, and assumed she wasn't too fond about the cold weather of the region. It was alright to him ; but then again, he was a paladin, he spent his training sessions moving, hitting, running... She was a tactitian – to quote her sister, "a beast of glass who could destroy any enemy as long as they don't fight back". The books of the library were probably more to her taste than the solitary walks along the fortress walls.

He couldn't help but wonder what she'd think of Krakenburg...

"Milord ! Should we take a break ? You don't seem very... focused", Silas said, panting ever so slightly. Xander nodded , his mind wandering.

Fighting with his young retainer always reminded him, for some reason, of the stories he used to read as a child – tales of knights in shining armor and princesses in gowns of gold and silver. As a child, he recalled being associated to the knightly figures by his siblings : Camilla often played the part of the princess, or, more often than not a motherly figure, leaving the role of the damsel in distress to Elise ; Leo, when he agreed, on specific occasions, to tag along, played the part of the mage, for which he didn't need to disguise much of his own self. Those old tales had moulded them into the people they had become. Even now, Camilla liked to dote on anyone who would come within a radius of several feet from her – just the distance she needed to either hug or attack anyone. On that morning, for instance, she was leading the sweet Lilith to the stables, wanting her to finally make the acquaintance of her wyvern – her "lovely Marzia". The foreign princess followed her, vaguely intimidated, and, while she didn't get the chance to salute both cavaliers properly, she did wave her hand at them as a good morning.

"Is something on your mind ? Something about the Vallite princesses, maybe ?"

"Keen as ever, I see", the prince almost chuckled.

"Lady Corrin hasn't woken up yet, has she ?"

"So you noticed ?"

"Well, she usually wakes up early and, lately, I have met her every morning while she went to the piano room, as I got back from my own patrol."

"I see. Tell me, Silas... what do you think of them ?"

There was a silence. "Do you mean, as people, or as royals, milord ?" Xander smiled. Part of his respect for the young knight came from his generosity and honesty. While Silas would never speak harshly of anyone without good reason, he still knew when not to lie and how to save himself. So the Crown prince answered : both. "Well they really do look and behave like those fairy tale princesses, for all I can tell. Lady Lilith is very kind and polite, and Lady Corrin is wise and graceful, just like you and your siblings used to tell me. Now, as people... I genuinely think Lady Lilith is as gentle a soul as she looks. She has shown to be interested in pretty much anything and anyone, without caring for their position, and I find that to be really... how to put this... heart-warming, you could say. As for Lady Corrin... There's something about her that I can't quite pinpoint, and that bothers me, somehow. Like she's playing a part – even though I can't say why, or which part it is. I don't know how all of you became such friends, honestly."

"We met as children, long ago. Our parents were having discussions about a truce, if I recall, and we ended up playing together." The prince closed his eyes a moment, almost watching, through the veil of a dream-like memory, as their younger selves hid under blankets to protect themselves from the thunderstorm. "We became fast friends and promised to meet again as soon as possible. And each time we managed to meet, we repeated this promise, again and again. Until today. Even though, usually, the twins would come together. I don't think I've ever seen one travel without the other."

"And you are close to them both ?"

"To Corrin more than to Kamui, I'm afraid. He's always been a social butterfly, and I find myself having trouble understanding him. His sister, on the other hand... Do you know that there are negociations going on between my father and Queen Arete to have her become my wife ?"

"Really ?! I mean... I should have known, since you're both royalty and all... but... But why isn't it official yet ?"

"Because Valla is in a tight situation right now. King Kratos' only child is a daughter, meaning whoever marries her... Both Azura and Corrin could be engaged to me – but that goes for Prince Ryoma of Hoshido as well."

"So you mean that if you marry Corrin, Valla goes to Hoshido ? Is it that simple... ?", another voice chirped gleafully. The two men turned around to see Peri approaching, carrying in her hands a mountain of homemade cookies. Xander couldn't help but grin a little – when she wasn't trying to murder something, she was a fantastic cook, and, more often than not, he found himself wishing for her to find a better balance between those two passions.

"I suppose you could say that, yes. The problem is quite simple ; but no solution is without its flaws. No matter the decision, there's still the possibility of a war."

Neither of the two retainers seemed to enjoy the alternative, although, knowing Peri, she would cope well if a large scale conflict were to be announced. Her partner looked both confused and opposed to the idea of letting his lord and friend marry a woman simply for his country's sake. Xander knew them both well enough not to need asking any question. They would follow his orders no matter what, for sure, even if deep down they didn't like the idea. He couldn't speak for Azura, however ; she had always been a mystery of sorts, and, while she had never shown repulsion towards him, she hadn't shown attraction or significant affection either. Although to be fair, that could be said for her cousin as well : Corrin was closest to Leo and Takumi, and, even though she did get along with the Crown princes of both nations, it was hard to tell whom she would rather be married off to.

And yet, from the moment the negociations had started, Xander had noticed a slight change in her behaviour towards him and the Nohrian in general. She was warmer than he remembered, sharper than ever and as charming as could be. Anyone could fall for that ; the Nohrian Crown prince considered himself, however, a good judge of character : her polite smile felt like duty and only when she was upset about something did he recognise the old Corrin he remembered so fondly. She wouldn't complain no matter what path the negociations would lead her to – she would marry into whatever family with a peaceful smile, and her devotion would remain as unwavering as ever.

"That's quite a shame, though", Peri mumbled, her mouth already full. "To think that all these women around there are so eager to please you, milord, and that you can't even chose !"

"Peri !" Xander laughed, grabbing back his sword, as Silas threw a shoched glare at the blue-haired girl.

Azura watched in awe, silent as a shadow, as the younger Hoshidan prince hit the bullseye without a mere second of hesitation, his arms outstretched towards his target, almost motionless. He relaxed unperceptibly before summoning a new arrow for his Fujin Yumi. What a sight, thought the Vallite princess as she followed his every move with intent eyes. She had only been told – namely, by Corrin – about his talent with a bow ; but until that moment he had never proposed or allowed her to join in his training session. In truth, she was pretty much useless : her naginata did allow her to hit a foe from a safe distance, but that didn't have much in coming with a bow or a tome. Nevertheless, watching him was actually unexpectedly relaxing – and breathtaking, too. She had always found him nervous, tense and more violent than she supposed he needed to be. None of his siblings shared those traits, so she had usually considered that he was the family's black sheep.

But on that moment, he seemed to be another person. A gentler, more attentive person, with a goal in mind and a firm hand to reach it. She remained quiet, breathless, at this sudden transformation, fearing that a sound would break his concentration and resolve.

His retainers had gone on missions, as she supposed he had ordered. Hinata, the loud samourai, had been sent to patrol with the city's guards, to make sure anything suspicious would reach the prince's ears. Oboro, whose talent for sewing was well-known among the castle's inhabitants, was currently preparing his attire for some ceremony Azura had already forgotten. The garden he apparently always used to train was quiet except for the ruffling sound of the wind on the leaves. Next to his old target – worn through by years of practice – was a more recent one, that he didn't even glance at ; apparently, it wasn't his own. The Fujin Yumi did not waver in his holder's grip, unlike the princess's naginata. Should a gust of wind rush in, its arrows would simply not loose sight of their sole purpose : to hit the bullseye. The silence was absolute.

Thanks to this, the princess soon noticed something was wrong about her training partner. He had been working mercilessly for hours under the bruning sun of Hoshido, but somehow she hadn't taken in how dangerous that could be. It was hard to pinpoint what gave it away first, but when she heard him panting, his face pale, his back tense and his eyes unfocused, she knew something was wrong, and, although she loved the comfortable silence going on between them, she asked : "Is everything alright ?"

Takumi barely glanced at her. His hazel eyes, usually so sharp and untrusting, went from her to the target, then to his weapon, and, as his breathing stabilized, came an answer : "Yeah, sure, it's alright."

"You look like you're in pain." He didn't answer, but the way his face twitched gave away what he tried so hard to hide. Azura stood up to come closer to him, and touched his arm from the tip of her fingers. The young man almost jumped away from her hand, either scared or furious. "Your skin is burning up. Here, let me bring you some water."

"I don't need -"

"Of course you do", she interrumpted him. "You're no different than Kamui and Corrin – always working yourself to the bone for whatever great goal you have... not caring for the people who actually worry about you."

As she talked, Takumi let out a hiss, a wheezing sound of real pain, and the Vallite princess, focusing on a form of magic known among her family for decades, called for water to fill her hands under his suspicious gaze.

"What the... what is that ?"

"Water. Don't you know ? Us Vallite royals have an affinity with water. My father's full title was _King of Valla and of the Ever-falling Rain._ " She dropped the precious liquid on a towel that she immediately pressed against Takumi's forehead . He blinked twice before taking it himself, a deep blush threatening his cheeks. "Now, if I could find a glass... Wait here for a moment."

By the time she had returned, Takumi had already raised his arm back up, and she was about to call for him to stop when he made his arrow vanish in his hand.

"Here... Drink, your head must be heavy because of the sun."

"Hm, thanks. You shouldn't have bothered."

"It is no bother at all."

"...Do you have to take care of this kind of things, in Valla ?"

"Oh, you mean with my cousins... Yes, I suppose. Kamui appointed himself as my knight, and Corrin is becoming a master tactitian. So they spend most of their time training and studying for my sake. The least I can do is help them from time to time."

The younger man said nothing, letting out a grunt of understanding, even though she couldn't tell whether he sympathized with her situation or with the twins' ambitions. She made no effort to pursue the conversation either – at least, not on that matter. It would be ungrateful of her to comment on their dedication when she was its object. She might not like to be the center of their attentions, but she knew they never thought of it as a way to disrespect her, and, anyhow, it wasn't the problem.

"Is there any particular reason you train so fiercely ? It looks like you're a master at archery, and maybe you don't need to put your health in danger this way."

"On the contrary, I always have to become stronger. I'm not like my brother", he hissed with a grim look on his face, "who had mastered his weapon already. The Fujin Yumi requires my absolute concentration. I must be as familiar with it than I am with my own self. And, right now... I'm afraid that's not the case."

"But couldn't you at least be more careful ? It could end up hurting you..."

"I suppose there are other places I could train in, if that's what you mean." Truly, she had meant for him to modify his schedule in order to rest more and take better care of himself instead of training for hours without a single break, but Azura didn't correct him. "But this garden has always been my training field. Sometimes, Sakura joins in as well and I help her with her technique." The Vallite princess shot a glance at the other target, the one he hadn't touched even though his own was almost broken by its arrows. "Mother came here, too, when..."

There was a silence. Until that moment, Azura had never noticed just how close to his mother Takumi must have been – much more closer than he was to his father, it seemed. Loosing her had taken its toll on the whole family : it had been enough to finally convince Hinoka to take up the naginata, for one, which was impressive per say. Azura knew how painful such an experience could be – how lonely, too. When King Kratos had died, her mother had taken the role of Queen Regent because she didn't feel strong or confident enough to actually take his place. She had felt like a child, lost in the dark, with no one to turn to. Her family members, namely her aunt and cousins, had supported her until she was able to hold on her own again ; never before had she felt so close to them. So she understood what Takumi could think, and why speaking of his mother would take the words out of his mouth.

"You must have heard that a lot already, but... I'm sincerely sorry Queen Ikona died so early. She was a good woman, and she loved you and your siblings dearly. I'm certain she'll be protecting you all from the stars, or wherever she might be."

"... Thank you for your kind words. And allow me to apologize as well. King Kratos was a respected ruler, and a respectful one. He must be proud of you, now."

On that point, Azura felt the temptation to disagree, but didn't find he strength to actually voice her thoughts. Her golden eyes, which she had inherited from her father, felt watery, like they had on that terrible day, but she forced back the tears. She was no child, and crying had been proved useless before. Her hands shaking, she gave the prince a nod before announcing that she would bring him another glass of water he wished to keep on practicing his technique. They stood up in the same movement, and, as she walked away to ask for something to eat and drink, Takumi bowed to her in thanks, his eyes stormy and his complexion as pale as before. By the time she had disappeared within the castle, crying silent tears she hoped no one would see, he had managed to shot a new arrow of light into the heart of his tired target.

Elise's tea party were a well-known event among the royal heirs and heiresses. Their youngest member to date had taken the habit to organise these short celebrations when their three families met under any circumstances, in order to, as she said, strengthen the bonds between them. Most of her elders were not fooled ; it was obvious enough that she just wanted to befriend them for her own sake, because she liked them, and because she was the kind of girl to prefer playing over studying anytime. Sometimes Lilith wondered what King Garon thought of her hobbies – she had never seen him mad at her, but he always looked so stern and intimidating... it was hard to tell whether she had, or not, a good reason to worry about him. Her own father, much like the late King Kratos, was a gentle man, a diplomatic more than a fighter, who she knew would happily spend the rest of his days with his family without thinking about any greater role he could have in his country's future. Lilith had inherited of his peacefulness, but, being considered, just like his twins, a princess of Valla, it had been decided that she should play her part. Whatever that part was.

For now, it seemed that it included having tea with the young girl and hearing all about her friends and retainers, Arthur and Effie. Lilith listened with absolute attention ; the sweet Elise was always so enthusiastic that it was easy to forget all about the cold fortress they were residing in, and the daughter of Anankos did enjoy her company more than she would have thought. Nohr had little things in common with her homeland, and, from what the princess told her, it was quite usual for royals to find themselves servants to aid them. It also seemed that, while in Hoshido, those people belonged to the nobility and were chosen among the most prestigious families, in Nohr, they were chosen for their personality and abilities by their new liege. And Lilith wanted to know everything there was to know about how the young girl had found hers – truly, she was convinced that Arthur man must have done something terrible to deserve his bad luck.

"You know, Elise, I am kind of surprised you would call me to join you today", she commented when silence came back. "I thought you'd rather have tea with Corrin, or perhaps Camilla..."

"Well... it is true that I wanted to invite Corrin, but since she's still sleeping, and you said we shouldn't wake her up, I had the idea of having you over !"

"Oh, I see..." Lilith paused for a moment, quietly wondering if her sister had managed to work herself – or rather study herself ? - to the bone already, or if the dragon blood within her veins was forcing her to sleep. Probably both, knowing her. The older Vallite princess sighed.

"Moreover, I really wanted to spend time with you ! Heehee, otherwise, Big Sister Camilla will have you all for herself, and I won't even have the chance to talk with you !" The younger princess's smile faded slightly, as if some worry passed her mind by. "I mean... if you want to. If you are too occupied..."

"Oh ! No at all ! I was just surprised, but this is a great opportunity for us to speak ! Was there something you wanted to ask, perhaps ?"

"Hum... oh, I know ! Is it true that you are a troubadour ? Just like me ?"

"Yes ! I am not that good at fighting, but I get along with horses and most mounts, so I thought it could be a good chance to be useful. Although I am far from being as talented as my siblings..."

"I can understand that so well !"

"But you are very talented ! Corrin told me about your progress in magical studies, and I'm sure one day you'll become just as good a tactitian as her."

"I don't know... I really want to be useful to them, but at the same time... I mean... look at them : Xander is so strong and really talented when it comes to do the right thing ; Camilla is super beautiful, but she's also a true Malig Knight, and did you see her dance at those last balls ?! Wow... And Leo is a genius, so it's not like I could just, you know, beat him at magic or anything."

"You know, I feel the same way about my siblings, so that makes a common point. All of them are strong and talented in any field they feel passionate for, meanwhile, you and I... you and I are not worse ! But we haven't found what passion we want to focus on !" Elise looked up from her tea cup, which she had just filled with a sweetly perfumed liquid. Lilith knew she had sparked attention in those amethyst eyes immediately, and gave the young girl a soft smile. "We are both healer, we are very close to our families... for now, I don't think we need to figure out what we want to become. Though you know, sweetie, I'm sure you can talk to any of your siblings, or mine, for what matters, if you ever wish to know more about it. For now, how about you tell me more about those retainers of yours – I've never had any, so I'm pretty curious..."

 **[Seeing how I don't know when I'll be able to post the next chapter because of my studies, I'll start writing short summaries to keep you waiting !]**

 **In the next chapter !** The Nohrian siblings return to Windmire and their foreign guests face for the first time Krakenburg's court. All is lies and deceits, concubines and siblings with sweet smiles and even sweeter ways to kill. Corrin's plan begins ! Meanwhile in Hoshido, Sumeragi offers his kingdom's aid to the rebellion of Cheve : it is up to Kamui and Azura to protect peace and favour neutrality as tensions rise ! But who will Ryoma obey to ? Should he follow his duty as a son, or his duty as a prince ?...

8


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's notes : Back at it ! So after some thinking, I've set my mind on at least a few pairings that I'm pretty sure to develop. Those I am really certain of are the following : Corrin x Leo, Silas x Elise, Saizo x Sakura, Jakob x Peri, and Niles x Charlotte. And seems I have been asked : yes, most likely, Azura x Kamui will be endgame ! Having only played Conquest and Revelations, I am not as familiar as I'd like to with the Hoshidan characters, so I think it'll take some time for me to say how they will be paired up.**

Lies and pretty faces

The blood of Anankos flowed within the veins of his children. Back in Valla, they were not called prince or princess, for they really didn't belong to King Kratos' own descendance. But being of the dragon god's blood made the three of them Protectors of the Realm. In other words, Elise remembered that they were considered royalty, but that Azura was supposed to be the only real heiress, and that putting either of her cousins on the throne would start a civil war in their land. She had been told many things about Anankos and the dragon blood in general. Her own father often repeated old legends to prove his connection with the Dusk Dragon, much like Sakura had written her Sumeragi told about the Dawn one. But that link, fictional or genuine, was far thinner than the Vallite princesses with their father.

It appeared that, depending on the person and the circumstances, the dragon blood had different effects. Most people considered it a blessing : it could grant superior strength, speed and resistance, it gave his owner the aability to use dragon stones and even to live longer than the average human. But that also came with its curses. At least, Lilith had said so. Anankos had lived for so long before befriending Kratos, before loving Mikoto, that he had seen generations and generations of his people die, to the point that he had been tempted to abandon his humanity in order not to feel anymore pain. A feeling his older daughter seemed to understand and empatize with more than Elise could imagine. On a lighter note, the young princess had seen with her own eyes as Corrin herself fell under her own blood's grip, sleeping breathlessly for four days and four nights until she finally awoke, startled and sweaty and pale. Even as she and Camilla tried to understand what had happened, the white-haired lady couldn't say much and found comfort in her sibling's wisdom and in her cherished books. King Garon, who had been worried as well by her sudden unconsciousness, had then declared with a roaring laughter that it couldn't be so dangerous, if she was still able to study so easily afterwards ; but the Nohrian siblings had been troubled all the same.

Returning to Castle Krakenburg didn't help much either. When the royals' carriage stopped, leaving the oldest children of the King on the way to its depths, Elise chose to remain by Leo's side ; as she looked up towards the black walls, Camilla touched her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. Her younger sister gave her a bright smile, one she hoped would not betray her fear and nervousness.

"My, that's an imposing castle you have here...", came a female's voice from their backs.

Elise turned aroung, giggling with more enthusiasm than she actually felt, and ran to Corrin and Lilith.

"Whaddaya think ? Pretty cool, huh ?" Well, if you took the castle from a sensitive point of view, it was cool – as in cold and unwelcoming. No doubt the foreign princesses saw it too. "I can't wait to show you two my room !"

"Child, don't harass our guests", Garon chuckled lightly. "The trip must have been tiresome to them."

"Oh, not at all !", Lilith assured him with only the faintest blush. "Thank you for your concern, but I can assure you, Your Majesty, that coming from Valla prepared us for worse."

"I agree", Corrin added, patting Elise's head while glancing over the building with acute eyes. Nor the king, or his children dared mentionning her long sleep or even asking whether she felt better already. "I hope you'll be indulgent, however. I think it may take some time for us to adapt to such a gigantic castle. Gyges seems rather small in comparison. Sweet Elise, will you be my guide in there ?"

The youngest princess looked up to meet her crimson gaze. She was holding her hands in hers now, and a warmth unlike any other radiated from them ; it was the kind of fierce, yet gentle warmth Elise had only experienced with her foreign counterparts. No one in Krakenburg would show such open affection – not when she was only fourth in line, a troubadour and the daughter of a maid. But Corrin did. As far as Elise's memory went, she had always given them – Nohrian or Hoshidan royals, family or friends – her absolute devotion and upmost attention. She was always polite and spoke in a gentle fashion, her tone even and earnest even when she had been wronged ; she had never valued strength over intelligence – or intelligence over strength – believing that one should always listen to his own calling instead of trying to reach some unachievable goal. Moreover, she looked beautiful : not like Camilla who had grown into a bewitching beauty and a dangerous rose, but in her own right. She had turned her clever gentleness into both a weapon and a shield – one to attack an annemy, one to counter a noble's words. And Elise admired her for all these reasons, hoping to become as good a princess as her one day.

"Sure ! I'm so happy you're finally visiting our home !" With those words, she tackled the taller girl into a hug, almost knocking her off her feet as they walked towards the throne room where a ceremony in the strangers' honor would take place.

"Come on, Elise", Leo sighed, shaking his head. "When will you start to act your age ?"

She answered by sticking her tongue out, her arms still wrapped around Corrin's waist, basked in her warmth.

"Aw, now don't be like this, dear", Camilla giggled as she took a step in Lilith's direction. "I'm sure our Elise isn't enough to make Corrin fall... although... Darling, are you wearing shoes ?"

"Those are pretty good eyes you got there, Camilla", Corrin couldn't help but retort with the tiniest smirk before returning to her ways. "Well, yes. I do wear shoes ; is that so surprising ?"

"I've never seen you wear any", Xander recalled.

"That's because once I'm familiar with a place, I don't feel the need to use any. It feels more comfortable like that anyways."

Elise was about to say that she hadn't put on any shoes during their stay in the Northern Fortress, but decided not to. Perhaps she had taken them off quickly, or she could have forgotten them in her carriage. It was even possible that she didn't have any winter shoes, and therefore decided not to wear any ! All she could focus on now was how it affected her whole silhouette.

Corrin had chosen a pair of Vallite _stilettos_ – Elise had heard her own mother using that word – that left most of her feet naked and unprotected. Although it was hard to suspect she wasn't used to wearing them, Elise noticed her general demeanour was more careful, even slightly slower, as if not to trip. Other than that, she hadn't changed her usual style - one that she could adapt to both training sessions and court meetings. One that the youngest Nohrian royal wished only to imitate. She would have to ask her retainer's help to find a good tailor to make a dress like her own. Maybe - just maybe - her father could give her one for her birthday...

As she focused on this question, Elise didn't notice the commotion running around. Maids and soldiers and nobles of all ranks bowed to them with more or less honesty ; glares followed their every movements. Safe behind the _dragon princess_ , as they called her, she didn't pay attention to the words thrown in their way. Corrin and Lilith, however, noticed this and, while both kept walking as if nothing had happened, neither fet exactly serene. Camilla, who walked beside her best friend, promised herself mentally that she wouldn't let any harm befall on them, but her hands were shaking slightly, hopefully not enough for anyone to see. How long would it be before this promise of hers would be crushed under a concubine's heel ?

* * *

"Oh my, Ryoma, why didn't you tell me you had such a beautiful friend !"

On the outside, Kamui looked like his usual self : cheerful, gentle, polite... On the inside, although he wished to be just as he appeared to, the young Vallite felt boiling, furious, hungry for someone's demise. Sometimes he wondered how his father hadn't turned mad yet under the dragon blood's hold, and how, even though his was supposedly weaker than his sisters, it could still produce such burning feelings in his gut. The sight of the Chevois rebel lady wasn't much help either. Having woken up earlier than he used to, Kamui had gone for a walk around the castle, only to see the High Prince of Hoshido meeting with the foreigner. While he had nothing against her per se – he almost considered the idea of befriending her as well, when he noticed her red armour's good style and the shining blade of her weapons – her being here could only mean a few things, and he liked none of those.

Queen Arete had sent him to Shisaragi Castle for a reason, after all. He was to ease the tension between Hoshido and Nohr by making sure Azura could get along with the royal siblings – but he certainly wasn't going to become her matchmaker. Yet if Hoshido were to support the revolution in Cheve, whose population apparently wished to get rid of the Nohrian rule...

"A-ah, Kamui, I didn't know you were already awake", the older prince of Hoshido stammered uneasily. "Um, this is Scarlet. Scarlet, allow me to introduce to Prince Kamui of Valla."

"... Should I bow, or something ?"

"Aha ! I like her already ! Please, don't, it's as embarrassing to me as it would be to you. Now, pray tell, what are the two of you up to ?"

 _Preparing a revolution so early in the morning ?_ , he thought of adding before biting the words off his tongue. His sweet smile must have felt too forced, for even Ryoma – tall, impressive, reliable Ryoma – looked at him with a form of fright that the Vallite could only enjoy from behind his façade. The woman at his side, however, didn't flinch, and rightfully so : she had yet to learn anything about him, and didn't have any reason to find his behaviour surprising. Kamui also thought to add that she carried an axe sharp enough to chop off his head, while he had left his weapon in his chambers. With a discontented frow, he remarked that he really ought to always carry one, just in case ; contrary to his sisters, his dragon blood wasn't strong enough to allow him to use a dragonstone – not that he wanted to, either, since he was a much better swordsman.

"I was about to introduce Scarlet to Father – um, to the king."

Something about the High Prince's voice made it sound like a child's, like he was trying to explain a mistake to some relative, and not to the foreign prince who he apparently wanted to hide this meeting from.

"Oh, of course", hummed Kamui, almost threateningly. "Discussing the uprising in Cheve, I presume ?" Scarlet nodded with a proud glint in her pupils, while the man next to her let out a growl so low that the prince thought he'd imagined it. "I understand. This is indeed very important. Don't let me belate you two. War is a serious matter, after all", he added, walking away towards his cousin's room, not looking back to where his childhood friend was glaring at him, both surprised and relieved to see him leave so easily.

And what serious matter... Sometimes, Kamui tried to imagine what Queen Arete would want him to actually do ; her orders, while clear, seemed to grow vaguer and vaguer as his stay in Hoshido expanded. For one, he couldn't quite see Azura marry Ryoma like her mother would want to ; they were close, certainly, but he could only quite see them as friends, and wished to see the two of them married with someone they would love, rather than being together for the sake of peace. Takumi was an option, of course, and Kamui was the first to admit that he was a noble-minded young man. But then again, what would Queen Arete want for her daughter ? That question was also true when it came to the other young royals : what fate did await Kamui and his sisters ? He could always devoted his life to knighthood, as so many others, but he feared they wouldn't have the same freedom. In a way, allowing them to foolow in Arete's footsteps to become strategist had already been a mistake – one he honestly wished he could erase with one swift motion, like he would a stain on his blade. They were now expected to fulfill the same role, that is, to marry a man for his title to ensure that a balance xould be found. What they wanted wouldn't even be a question. Perhaps that was the worst part of it : knowing he could find himself separated from the two sisters who had been his closest companions and most trusted advisors because their duty was heavier. He was fond of Xander, much like the others, but could he really see any of his sisters becoming Queen of Nohr ?

 _Now's not the time to think of such things_ , he thought to himself, biting his lower lip in an effort not to loose composure. _I must warn Azura and prevent Hoshido from going on a all-out war against Nohr. All of our fates are at stake_. As he walked through the corridors, searching for her room, a green shadow emerged at the corner of his vision, effectively startling him : the ninja who had accompanied them to Shisaragi, Kaze, bowed to the Vallite knight with a composed smile, before asking if he could be of service. Before he even knew it, Kamui found himself following him to reach his cousin, who had, apparently, already woken up, and who was chatting with Hinoka and Sakura. The young man wasn't used to waking up early, and hated to admit that he had no idea what she did at that time of the day, which seemed to amuse the easy-going ninja. His thoughts drifted away again, as he noticed the pink leaves of a sakura tree flutter to the ground from an open window : two soldiers were training outside. Rather, a woman with dark blue hair was helping her comrade up on his feet as if he weigthed to more than a child, while complaining about his clumsiness, much like he remembered Corrin doing with himself, during his early training.

"Dear sister", he wrote in a letter later that day, after telling her in details his first impression on the situation, "when it comes down to it, I feel like I am only scared of seeing time pass us all by. The past, while I doubt we could call it perfect – I now think of it as something simple and natural, something that was infinitely good in the end, even when I remember saying it was hard living it. Do you know what I mean ? I remember that we had our fair share of troubles, like anyone else, but now it seems to me like it all became part of a greater picture – a better picture. And it's making me think that I am scared – scared that time should follow its path and that we may never actually enjoy the present."

"Ah, well, don't worry about me", he added afterwards. "You know I tend to overthink little things. I'll focus my efforts on Ryoma and that woman, Scarlet, from now on."

* * *

Leo never doubted his father's skills when it came to people ; his was the voice of a natural leader, and his hands, so calloused by the swing of his battle axe, were more than glad to welcome into his house – his castles, rather – any who might awake his interest. As the Nohrian ruler reached for Lilith, then for Corrin, to shake the foreign princesses' hands, he couldn't help but notice the faint whisper across the throne room, but he had to look away hurriedly to avoid the gaze of a brunette woman, and chose to focus on his guests' bows. Lilith's was slightly hesitant, most likely because she felt intimidated by all these people keeping their eyes locked on her petite form ; Corrin's was nothing beyong elegant and poised, and, were it not for the gentle smile that grazed her features, he would have thought of her confidence as arrogance. There was pride, unmistakenly, behind those curved eyelashes, but the kindness there was also too genuine for him not to share some of her good humour.

"And with this, my young friends, I welcome you into the Nohrian Court as my royal guests."

A new bow, new applauses. Elise's hands were already bright red when her retainer handed her some gloves, and though Camilla was less enthusiastic, her younger brother had seen her exchange warm gazes with Lilith from where she stood. Even Xander gave them a gentle grin when they walked to him and his siblings. Along the way, a few nobles interrumpted them to introduce themselves ; the young women soon found themselves surrounded, trapped by a crowd of robes and heavy dresses, saying a nice word there and shaking a hand elsewhere, while trying as subtly as possible to remain unfazed when some concubines presented them with their children – Garon's youngest – hoping they would acknowledge their status. Corrin, even more so than her sister, managed to dismiss the most them without conceding much :

"It would be an honor to see you again, milady", Leo heard her say to the mother of Garon's third son, Dorian. "And you as well, young man – perhaps we may meet again during a sparring session."

Camilla was the one who helped them out of their misery : there only were a few people in Krakenburg who would dare oppose her, in fear of finding themselves under the blade of her retainer's axe, and she was especially convincing as she led the Vallite princesses to a corner of the room, where a manservant wearing his hair in a ponytail held glasses of wine out to them.

"The two of you were wonderful there", she sighed a little too loudly. "I'd wish they weren't so clingy – I hope you were not embarrassed..."

The tone of her voice felt threaning for perhaps a second, and Lilith had the cleverness to assure her they were perfectly fine. It would be a bad omen to cut off heads on their first day. The eldest child of Anankos added after some time to think, that people didn't actually look quite as dangerous as she had imagined, but a strange noise coming from her sibling cut her short. Corrin, not looking at them, eyes glossing over the room as if examining each face, was sipping her wine quietly, but the light frown on her brow made a striking contrast from her sister's optimism. When she did turn to Camilla, Leo thought he saw a glint of yellow in her blood-red irises, and blinked ; whatever that flash might have been, it lasted only an instant.

"The... atmosphere... is certainly different from Gyges, though. And there are more... Hum, there are more concubines than I had imagined", she admitted in a cough. Lilith's golden eyes grew wide at her statement, and she touched her sister's arm for a moment, before nodding. To Leo, it seemed like they had just had a deep conversation in a language no other could understand.

"But we'll get used to it – I'm certain of it – and I can't wait to spend more time with all of you. You", she added to Camilla in particular, "always talked about a tailor in Windmire that you wanted me to meet ! We may finally go there together !"

"... Yes, you _are_ right, of course. I'm certain you will love him – and there are so many things I want you to see !..."

"That's right !", Elise chirped as she threw her arms around Corrin's hips. "Hey ! Do you wanna see the gardens now ? Oh – oh – and, can I show you my room ? Better still : how about we make a sleepover tonight ? Just like when we first met !"

"I'm afraid that's not possible", came a voice from behind Leo, who het out a sigh as he turned to face his father's retainer and counselor – the sorcerer who had trained him in his childhood, according to his mother's plan.

"And why is that, Iago ?", Xander questionned, his voice poised and sterner than usual.

"Your Highness", Corrin cut before the sorcerer could answer. "Please. I may not know much about Nohrian traditions when it comes to introductions, but I do believe my older sister and I deserve to know who we are talking to." Leo's heart rushed in his chest as she stood tall, somehow even taller than his brother, in front of Iago. "Gentleman, I understand your name is Iago. Correct ?"

"It is, milady-"

"Sir, according to Vallite traditions, it would be, _Your Highness_." Leo could scarcely believe what he was witnessing, but he wouldn't lose any second of it. His eyes were stuck on his old friend – on Corrin, whom, until now, he had always seen as a form of gentle, discreet figure. The woman standing by his side that day felt and looked radically different, as if... No words could describe what surprise hit the oldest children of King Garon : even Elise watched her with quiet admiration and fear, while her older siblings stared at her, their eyes only turning to Iago for seconds, not understanding what was happening. Leo noticed, however, that Lilith wasn't even remotely taken aback, and that, whatever it was that gave her sister this aura of burning passion, she wasn't worried about it. "I think I have already seen you, back in the Northern Fortress, and I remember, as far as my memory goes, being told about His Majesty King Garon's retainers. I suppose you are one of them. Correct ?"

"I-indeed, Your Highness."

"Perfect, then", she concluded as the terrible aura radiating from her slender form vanished. "Now that we are properly acquainted, I hope we may learn more about each other. However, right now, I really do need some air, and those gardens Princess Elise was talking about are said to be among Nohr's wonders. Shall we see them ?"

"Of course, Your Highness. I – If you'll excuse me now, I'll take my leave." And he did. Leo blinked again, letting out a sigh he hadn't been aware of holding. The Vallite princesses said something again, but he only came back to his senses when Corrin's burning hand grazed his : the yellow glint was back, fainter than before under her heavy eyelashes, and, the more he looked at her, the more she seemed feverish. He said nothing, however, and simply walked at her side as she held onto his arm, behind the others.

"What just happened ?", he whispered after some time, when he was sure not to be followed. "What did you do ?"

There was a nervous chuckle as she raised a hand to her head. He slowed down, both because she looked like she was about to stumble and because maybe his siblings didn't need to hear.

"I hope you weren't too intimidated", was her answer. "By many aspects, Lilith and I take a lot from Father. In certain situations, well... It can be hard to tame our dragonblood." He must have looked more confused than he wanted to, although hundreds of precise questions stormed his mind, because she giggled again, her cheeks growing paler with each new step. Leo had the courtesy to allow her some time to rest, away from the lot of their siblings and the crowd of nobles. The certainty of having his retainers blocking the corridors to prevent being followed gave him some relief and he supported the Vallite princess's weigth against his shoulder for what felt like an eternity.

"Are you alright, Corrin ? If you need to rest..."

"Don't worry", came her tired voice. "Oh dear... I'm sorry, I didn't expect to get so easily tired." He said nothing – she must have understood, however, the silent question his eyes kept repeating. "The dragonblood tends to act up whenever it likes. Sometimes, I just have to let out some steam, you know ? Oh well... I'll tell you more, some other time. Right now, I'd _die_ for some fresh air !"

* * *

Kamui was left to meditate next to his chambers in the late afternoon, his mind full of anger and worry, his hands clenched into fists of pure rage, and his pale face tired. _What a day_ , he thought. Discovering the arrival of that Chevois knight had already been a most unpleasant surprise ; but next to King Sumeragi's offer of help in Cheve's rebellion, it was little to nothing. As much as the young man hated to admit it, he had been too confident in the situation of Hoshido : the country was peaceful, and strong, but also ready to fight its neighbour at any occasion, for any slight – real or imagined. He had already known that some noblemen from the king's closest guard were forming a pro-war faction, but he had never heard any of their arguments – not yet. Hearing them use the death of the late queen as a _casus belli_ against Nohr, proposing that she had been poisoned, alongside minor conflicts on the border, as if there was any link between the two, had been infuriating. Now more than ever, he saw King Sumeragi for who he really was : a noble-minded individual burdened by the loss of his devoted wife and by the crushing demands of his people. And now his Vallite guest wondered with a form of regret why he hadn't been able to notice this before.

Light footsteps came from behind his back ; he almost immediately recognized his cousin and his hands fell flat on his knees.

"Hey there, Little Queen", he called out, barely loud enough for her to register. "I'm sorry for losing my calm before. That won't happen again, I swear. I... I don't know what got into me." Oh, he knew, he knew well. His fury, his hubris, was nothing more and nothing less than the remnants of dragonblood within his veins. He felt it burn – a savage, unforgiving, mad fire growing in his chest and within his hands, ready to claw at the first miserable creature that would try to attack him. It made him wonder whether it had something to do with his father : was he alright ? Should he – should they – return to Valla, and make sure everything was going smoothly for the Queen and the Dragonlord ? No, he supposed : their duty, which they had accepted, was to ease down the relationships between Nohr and Hoshido in order to secure peace for their own homeland. Valla needed them to bring back some order into the growing tensions that went from one country to the other. It really couldn't afford to lose its Hoshidan furnisher or its Nohrian customer, and would find itself in a tough situation if a war was to break out. Frontiers would be challenged, lands faced with the passing of armies, and Valla's army clearly wasn't enough to rival either countries. At best, there could be unions and treaties and such – but all that meant little to nothing. Should Kamui lead their troops to war, he knew he would die before any of the divine weapon holders. "I can only ask you to forgive me, and promise I'll do my best so that it doesn't happen again."

"I've never seen you this solemn", her soft-spoken words came. He had feared, for a second, that she would be mad at him. "Don't fret. We can still move our paws and try to change Sumeragi's mind."

"I even left you there to talk, all alone... What a terrible knight. I'm sorry."

"I already told you, Kamui – stop apologizing. I may not like to be at the center of all this attention, but..." She sat next to him, her heavy locks falling haphazardly on her shoulders, her hand only a few inches away from his own. "One day, I will be Valla's queen. I have better start getting used to it. And anyways", she added, shaking her head, "I managed to gain us some time."

"What do you mean ?"

"I convinced King Sumeragi that this war could lead to a formidable chaos between Hoshido, Nohr, but also the Ice, Wind and Fire independent tribes. My mother also used to tell me the Hoshidan king was quite close to the chief of the Wind tribe. So I proposed that he, or perhaps his sons, go meet the representants of those tribes to make sure they would turn their back on Hoshido should Nohr threaten to invade this country."

"It's true that now, the magical border that Queen Ikona had built is at its weakest. Nohrian generals could make a move, too..."

"If only generals were the worst possibility..."

He was about to voice her thoughts and whisper Xander's name, but chose to keep his mouth shut. Growing up, he had met the royal siblings of both countries time after time, and perhaps those happy memories of spending time with each and everyone of them were holding him back, for he couldn't imagine Ryoma and Xander fighting each other to the death. They had sparred together, when young, under the cheers of their siblings and of their Vallite friends, but there never was a real danger behind those duels. They didn't use their divine weapons either, probably to avoid any risks of injuring one another, although Kamui's memory was pretty foggy concerning the age they had acquired Raijinto and Siegfried. However, things were differents now : both crown princes could found themselves as the leader of an army against the other, and then... well, no matter how hopeful the Vallite prince tried to remain, he simply knew, somewhere deep inside him, that they would be ready to kill anyone if those were their fathers' orders – including each other, including their guests.

This thought sent a shive down his spine, and a sudden knock on the door startled him.

"I-it's me, Sakura." Relieved by the shy intonations of the youngest princess, he rushed to open the door for her. What he saw then turned his blood cold. A letter, apparently, written on red paper with a tiny, but unmistakable, white rose on the top left corner, shook between her fingers. "I, uh... My oldest brother has asked me to apologize in his name for not talking about his guest. We – I mean, my siblings and I – we thought maybe you'd want to hear why..."

"Sakura", Azura whispered, troubled, "you mean... you want us to follow you ?"

"Yes, p-please !"

Both Vallite royals exchanged a confused gaze before stepping out in the corridor. Except from Sakura, only her female retainer was waiting for them. Nobody said a word as the youngest princess of Hoshido led the way to where her siblings were waiting for their arrival. Nonetheless, Azura was shaken, and her cousin couldn't help but wonder why Ryoma would ask his sister to guide them – instead of coming himself or asking his retainers, for instance. Just how grave was the situation in Shisaragi ?

 **In the next chapter !** Corrin and Kamui get new allies in the form of loyal warriors and sharp members of their respective castles' life. Meanwhile, Azura deals with the distance that separates her from her mother, and Lilith with the lack of her own.

7


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note : Finally finished working on the outining for this story, which is why it took me so long to publish this chapter !**

Ivory and Ebony

White hair flew as a heavily perfumed breeze blew through the gardens of Castle Krakenburg. Underneath the deep, haunted Nohrian sky, Corrin found it hard not to think of home. Which was stupid, even she would say so : she was a grown-up, not some silly child afraid of leaving the house she had been raised in. It wasn't Gyges that she missed either, and definitely not the whispers surrounding her presence in the queen mother's chosen vassalage. Moreover – and her aunt had made it her duty to carve this idea in her mind – she was a princess of Valla, and her destiny was to leave her kingdom in order to protect it from a war. If she was to live her life as the spouse of whichever noble Queen Arete would want her to marry, she might as well get used to living away from everything she knew.

Staying away from her brother, though, wasn't nearly as easy as she tried to make it look.

The two of them had always been attached at the hip from their oldest memories. They had never been far one from the other – most of her wished it could remain this way. Kamui would have known how to ease her trouble ; in his absence, she could only overthink unsubstancial details even more. Her arrival to Windmire was enough to leave a sense of dread running through her spine – not that she could allow herself to show it. Lilith was nervous as well – who wouldn't... - and scaring her would only bring in more chaos.

With Kamui at her side, at least, she would have had someone to entrust her thoughts to.

There was a feeble crack behind her, and Corrin jumped away from the sound – she wasn't carrying a tome, using her dragonstone would only cause commotion, and Lilith wasn't within earshot... Discovering an old knight by her side, her fright lowered significantly. She had already seen this face somewhere – the Northern Fortress, was it ? And the dark grey armour, so common among Nohrian soldiers, so worn out. The scar on the man's face brought a name to the blurry silhouette she tried to recall from the depths of her memory.

"You are... Sir Gunter, isn't it ?"

"Indeed, Your Highness. I'm flattered a foreign princess would know the name of an old warrior such as myself."

"You may well be the exception : I do try to remember the names of King Garon's retainers."

"It is an honour to finally make your acquaintance, princess Corrin."

"The honour is mine, milord. His Majesty has mentioned you way too many times for me to keep a track of the exact number, when he was pushing me to choose temporary retainers. I assume the two of you have known each other for a long time."

"That is correct. I have fought at his side for many years, I hope to keep doing so for many to come." He paused for a moment, allowing Corrin to scan the surroundings under the excuse of tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, only to follow when her eyes came back to his face. "Not to be ungracious, but I feel I should inform you it isn't the best idea to stay away from your chambers at this hour. Especially when neither you nor your sister have no retainers to watch ov- to aid you."

She could only focus on the mistake he had so awkwardly corrected. It would have been easy to assure him of her and Lilith's safety: she could have said that both Camilla and Leo had devoted one of their retainers to make sure their were safe – which was true – or that her sister was most likely sleeping in her temple, back in the Astral Plane she had access to because of her acute link to Anankos. But a part of Corrin wasn't certain the old knight could be trusted with such details – and anyways, it wouldn't be wise to bring two Nohrian royals or an ancient power to this late conversation. Instead, she kept her knowledge to herself and followed the untold piece of advice he diligently offered.

"You are right, sir. I shall go back to my chambers right away." A glance up relaxed her shoulders. "The sky is absolutely beautiful, in your country. I hardly noticed it in the fortress."

"You surely will have the oppotunity to see more of it – including when the sun is up. Please, allow me to escort you back."

"I accept your offer. Though, may I ask something, milord ? Who are you worried I might find in these corridors ?"

A new silence went between the two of them as Gunter's face grew paler and rougher. Most of his polite demeanour was likely a façade he had taken up to avoid behind called out like his colleague had been only a few hours before ; underneath was a man who had faced countless battles for his country, his king – maybe for a family that he kept safe away from the court – and who disapprouved of the ways of Krakenburg as much as Garon was preoccupied by their repercussions. He had only talked to her to avoid finding a dead body in the morning, and having to tell the royal family about its identity. She could imagine him being a loyal but brutally honest man around his liege, and was surprised to find herself thinking that she would like to have somebody like that in Valla.

"There are many people around here who wouldn't be bothered by your status and may try to endanger your life by any means necessary. I don't know what Gyges was like, but Krakenburg is not kind to the young, bold ladies... unless they find themselves a protector."

No answer came from Corrin's side. Nonetheless, his testimony on what her life would be like there was an interesting information she was thankful for. By the time they had reached her destination, she had already concluded several things.

First : that not even King Garon's retainers – and maybe the king himself – couldn't bring order back to the mayhem that was Krakenburg.

Second : that her being a guest and a foreign princess meant nothing as long as she wasn't (at least) betrothed to anyone.

Third : that there were eyes and ears hidden behind every dark angle of her peripherical vision. The only way to remedy to this problem was to get a new pair of eyes not to lose her goal... nor her head.

"You have been so very kind to escort me, milord. May you have a good night."

He wished her a good night with a nod before disappearing in the corridor they had come from, and the Vallite princess closed the door with a sigh she hoped had gone unheard. A brief visit to Lilith's room assured her of the safety of her sister ; she was breathing steadily, her hair spread on her white pillow and her arm folded under her head. Corrin listened to her breathing for a few seconds before retreating to her own room, to the unfolded sheets of her gigantic bed, and to the shadows of a sleepless night.

It was almost with pleasure that she welcomed a quiet silhouette to sit at her side.

The Hoshidan High Prince had always been, in Kamui's eyes, a model of dignity and strength to be imitated but never quite successfully ; with each new encounter, he had found an ever-growing gap between the two of them when it came to resilience, physical power, political understanding and charisma, to the point that he had grown used to the idea that he would never manage to become his equal. But the Vallite prince tried his best not to let himself get overcome by this disappointment ; all in all, he considered himself a skillful warrior and a decent counselor – he didn't mind letting others around him benefit more from the spotlights.

Nevertheless, when he met the royal siblings of Hoshido that night, after Sakura had hurriedly guided them around the corridors of Shisaragi Castle, he couldn't help but be taken aback at the vulnerability he so instinctively felt coming from the eldest son of King Sumeragi. At his sides, both Hinoka and Takumi were sitting still, the former serving tea to the latter – this was supposed to be a tea party, after all. Scarlet, that Chevois knight he had seen earlier, was nowhere to be seen ; not even the ninja dared intrude on this informal meeting.

When Ryoma's gaze met Kamui's, the younger man shrinked mentally, allowing his old friend to talk freely instead of feeling pressured by his Vallite guest.

"I see you've come. Thank you both. I hope you don't mind being called here at this hour."

"From what we guessed, there's an important matter to discuss", Azura answered with a poised smile. "I suppose it has something to do with Cheve and the rebellion ; isn't it ?"

Ryoma nodded ; meanwhile, Hinoka gestured them to seat with her siblings, her burning hair glowing like a wild ember as she moved.

"It was foolish of me to believe you wouldn't understand what is going on. I apologize."

"For what ?", came Azura's sharp reply. "For thinking of us as fools, or for threatening the peace you so fondly used to talk about ?"

"Princess Azura", Takumi was the first to react, and Kamui could see at the frown on his face that he was doing his best not to snap. "Everybody wants peace, but it seems that nobody is ready to reach a compromise. Please listen to what my brother had to say before you think of us as troublemakers."

And so she did – _they_ did. Kamui remained silent, his hands on his knees so that only the keenest eyes would see them twitch in apprehension. It would have been childish of him to hope that Valla would never go to war – that he would never find himself on the wrong side of his childhood friend's blade. A part of him, however, felt – _knew_ – that Azura and his sisters shared his wishful thinking : the Vallite prince and princesses would give everything in their power to prevent such a fate from happening.

"Scarlet – the leader of Cheve's rebellion – first made a move to get the support of Hoshido a few months ago, when the news of your arrival was confirmed. At first, I thought King Sumeragi – that is to say, Father – would refuse to even meet with her."

"It wasn't – and it still isn't – the time to create more tensions between Hoshido and Nohr", Hinoka added, her eyes locked on the depths of her tea cup.

"Yet, he did meet with her – as did I." Kamui's breath was momentarily caught in his throat at this admission. By his side, Azura's eyes narrowed. "On his orders, I went to Cheve myself. I didn't want to take any action before knowing for sure what the locals fought for, and why their leader had come to us."

"Why not leave that to your retainers, though ?", Kamui asked. "Why would you take such risks ? Any of the Nohrian royals could have been sent to put an end to the rebellion, and then you would have -"

"I know, I know. But that's just the problem."

"Huh ?"

"Father intended to send his retainers before Ryoma took their place. But sending them... would have absolutely started a war." Takumi frowned as his older sister mentioned them ; meanwhile, Sakura gazed at the door, as if she expected someone to intrude. "Their names are Orochi and Reina – both of them loyal to our father, and him only. It is well-known around the castle that they both care little for diplomacy or negociation... To put things simply, they want a new war to break out to shake up their routines. We concluded it was too dangerous to send them – at least, with Ryoma there..."

"Xander and his siblings would have listened to you." It just dawned on the Vallite prince that his Hoshidan counterpart would have been safe no matter what. That his strategy was sound. And that _he_ has misunderstood it – again. "So... what did you find out, in the end ? Why is Scarlet still here, if you don't want to have a war break out on the continent ?" Was he trying to negociate the support she expected from Hoshido ? To keep her busy, far away from her land so that the rebellion would die out ? Kamui couldn't tell – he had never experienced this kind of insurrection in Valla.

His words were met by a timid silence and fleeting gazes. Had he spoken brashly ? With a glance, he shared his troubled questions to his cousin, who nodded politely ; her smile felt forced now, and she was fighting back a frown on her forehead.

"King Sumeragi agreed to get the approval of the Wind and Fire tribes before going all out. There's still hope left. You should also remember that Kamui's sisters are at King Garon's court, which means..."

"That they could convince him to be careful about Cheve ?"

"Yes... But also that, should their lives be threatened by a war started by Hoshido, it will be my duty, as Valla's future queen, to put an end to all diplomatic and economical support to Hoshido." Kamui shivered ; someone – either Hinoka or Takumi – let out a surprised gasp at this declaration. "I told King Sumeragi as much earlier today. If he is as clever as I remember from my childhood, he will know better than to endanger the peace."

"Which leaves us to the same point, anyways", Ryoma sighed. "A perpetual status quo of threats and tension without actual war."

"D-don't be so pessimistic !", Sakura pointed out. "That means y-you can work to secure a true peace with Nohr, and maybe an alliance with Valla !"

Kamui gave the youngest heir a genuine smile, but part of himself felt a tinge of worry tung at his heartstrings. An alliance with Valla – or with Nohr, for that matter – meant a marriage, but nobody seemed actually ready to name this solution : nobody would call Ryoma's thoughtfulness toward Azura a proper courtship ; nobody would ask out loud whether his own sisters were in a similar situation...

He _hated_ it.

By the end of the encounter, neither party had finished their tea ; whenever some noise would come from the corridors, Hinoka would cheer them up, convincing Takumi or Sakura to mention their training or to organize a future event. Kamui then escorted his lady cousin to her room, only to notice, from farthest end of his peripheral vision, the shadow that had been looking out for him the past few days. As he reached his own room, he whispered to the night air :

"Is that you, Kaze ?... Thank you for watching out for my cousin and myself... Well, I'll properly thank you tomorrow – have a good night."

Tiny hands reached frantically for a white fabric. Tears fell from bright eyes, searching for someone – anyone – to give a purpose to their existence. And a word, a name, repeated endlessly into a void. Then the light – something white and messy and so familiar that Lilith started crying before even waking up in her younger sister's arms.

"I'm right here, Lilith – everything's alright now, dear. I'm here. No one can hurt you. Shh..."

The eldest of Anankos' children weeped quietly in Corrin's arms. As she threw her arms around her waist, the freshness of her sibling's skin surprised her and sent a shiver down her spine, but she knew better than to question this strange sensation – the last thing she wanted was to stammer frantically. She must have been a truly pitiful sight, for Corrin laid down at her side, putting the blankets over her shoulders in an effort to shield her. Her eyes kept searching into her sibling's any indication as to what her nightmare had been about, but she never found any answer there.

"It's alright, Lilith. Dry you tears, it's a shame to tire your pretty eyes like this."

Lilith obeyed, her breath still unsteady as she burried her face in the crook of her sister's shoulder. Soft hands were combing her hair, messy from fighting with the sheets and blankets of this foreign bed. From the depth's of Corrin's hair came a soft perfume, one that the young princess remembered using in Valla. In the bathroom they shared, back in Gyges, she used a lavender-scented perfume whenever she wanted to raise her spirits – when the sky looked dull and stormy, when her father was gone for the day, when she felt alone and lonely in a palace she didn't deserve to belong in. Sometimes, it scared her to leave her room. The prospect of meeting someone like Queen Arete or, even worse, Lady Mikoto, the mother of her dear siblings, made her blood freeze in her veins and all color run from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I woke you up... I'm okay now, you can go back to sleep", she whispered after a while. Her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks stained with tepid tears, and her nose was running slightly, but she was slowly getting her composure back. Sorry."

"Don't worry", answered her sibling. "I couldn't sleep either... is it alright if I stay with you tonight ?"

"Heh, it's been a long time since you've wanted to share beds with anyone." They let out a choir of breathy giggles before falling back into an amicable silence. "Why weren't you sleeping ?"

"Hum... something I can't tell you about."

Now that was peculiar. If Lilith hadn't known her sister any better, she would have made a comment on how she suddenly looked like an infatuated teenager, with her flushed cheeks and wavering gaze – but did any of them need to be reminded of the situation they were in ? Certainly not.

"Something about why we're here ? About -"

"Yes – maybe – I can't tell... Sorry, big sis. It's just..."

"Easier to worry at night ?"

Corrin's weak smile was all the answer she needed. Taking her cold hands underneath the blanket, Lilith breathed into them, trying to bring some warmth into those shaking palms. Her sister gave her a tiny laugh, tickled by her agile fingers, and she did it again, and again, until she saw her eyelids closing. Her shoulders were relaxing, too.

"Corrin ?" No answer. Lilith waited a few minutes, listening to her steady breathing.

Only she resembled her father : neither Corrin nor Kamui shared their blue hair and golden eyes, although one could argue that they didn't look like their mother either. Their mother – Mikoto – all dark hair and dark eyes, skin like a pearl, like a dove. Whenever she stood by her side, most likely by mistake rather than by their own volition, Lilith's heart sank ; she wouldn't fool anyone about her mysterious origins. Most people assumed she was born out of an affair of Anankos', and altough they knew better, his daughter knew that, to his legitimate wife, she was no better than that – a bastard. The constant reminder of someone else's whims. She sighed – thinking about such ideas was no good. Then : "O, dragon blood within my veins..."

This old incantation, passed down to her by her father, allowed her to take up her original form – that of a fish-faced dragon whose red and blue scales recalled the shades of her hair. From the day they had left Gyges and their family to fulfill a duty she had trouble imagining as a whole, Lilith had tried her best not to use this appearance. The mere fact she could turn into a dragon – one that served little purpose in combat, moreover – made her feel like a monster from ancient legends. But deep inside, this form was also one she was proud of : it was under this appearance that she had played with her toddler siblings, that she had taught them to swim, that she had reached for the highest stars of the firmament on summer nights. And now... it was the best way for her to slid under Corrin's arm, to sleep against the warmth of her beating heart.

It was the best way for her to experience what family meant.

Azura had yet to ever see the cherry trees of Shisaragi Castle in full bloom, but the sight of the crimson camelia that marked the limits of the late Queen Ikona's gardens was enough to soothe her spirits. She would have to thank Hinoka for offering a visit there. Their goal was to pay their respects, and, for the Hoshidan princess, to say one last goodbye to her mother's grave before leaving, but nevertheless, it was a pleasant view. Not only that : the two young women were finally alone, far from their respective relatives, free to talk about anything – or anyone.

Words came more easily to Hinoka then. Her Vallite counterpart listened, nodded quietly, and sometimes laughed at her small talk. She started off complaining about Kamui's severity when it came to training, yet that didn't surprise Azura. As a Vallite prince and general, he took strategy and martial skill very seriously, which would have been a good thing if his sparring partner wasn't a young princess used to the peacefulness of Shisaragi. Hinoka saw that, of course – she complained more about her own inability to fight for herself than she did about her instructor.

Then the topic of discussion shifted toward her siblings, and the quiet love she arbored for them all. Azura listened again, her eyes now set on Queen Ikona's grave. It became soon obvious that Hinoka was talking to her late mother, trying to reassure her – wherever she might be – that her children were all growing well. Out of all the royal siblings of Hoshido, the eldest princess seemed to take her disappearance the hardest, which Azura understood. Having lost her father only a few months before leaving to Hoshido, in order to find a suitor and a consort to rule in Kratos' stead, she could recognise the pain, sorrow and restlessness in her friend's eyes. She missed her mother as well. Queen Arete had never given her a sibling, no matter how hard she, as a child, asked for one, but in return, she had devoted her life to her dear princess. Even in the midst of dealing with the tense situation between Valla's neighbours, she had always kept some time with Azura : they would have tea together, go to the royal baths together, and even walk around in the closest city together, with no royal guards, no powerful relatives to turn to should something happen. Like their bond wasn't ruled by royal affairs, but by a fierce dedication and an even fiercer loyalty...

"I'm glad, and relieved, too, that you will come with us to meet with the tribes' represantatives." Hinoka turned to her old friend and gave her an insecure grin. Her joined hands were shaking, even more so when they took Azura's. "I know I'm not the funniest one around, and I may not be of much use if it comes to diplomatics, butI want to protect this peace we have. No matter the cost..."

Azura nodded, speechless. She had wanted to tell her that her goal was admirable, and that they would walk down this path together. But tears were welling up in her eyes, and a sob rose to her throat before she managed. As they held hands, she could have sworn that Hinoka was in no better shape.

In the next chapter ! Love is, to a royal, nothing more than an ideal – something from a fairy tale. But to the princes and princesses that are traded for a peace treaty, this reality is hard to accept...

or : Kamui has a crush, Corrin a duty, Lilith makes herself a friend and Azura an ennemy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note : A new chapter ! (What can I say, I have a hard time finishing chapters !)**

Chapter 7 : Veil and Ribbon

It had always been obvious to Prince Kamui of Valla that he would devote his life to the well-being of others. That's what knights do – and he strived to become the very image of knighthood. Growing up amongst so many young ladies had perhaps shaped this ideal, as part of him recognised knights as more than mere warriors. One thing he had taken up from childhood fairytales was that princesses only ever married princes or knights, and since his blood wasn't that of a true prince of Valla... well, he had to be worthy of all the attention he got from the princesses around him somehow.

His sisters – no more royal than he was, but definitely more polished into the courtly arts – could use a knight, as well. While he was younger than Lilith and nobody would reveal which of the twins was older than the other, he had taken it upon himself to protect them in any way he could. The royal princesses of Nohr and Hoshido had also given him plenty of opportunities to practice whatever knightly duty he felt responsible of. Be it having tea with one of them when they were in a sour mood, teaching another a waltz before a royal event – Kamui wasn't one to leave any task to whatever suitors they could have encountered in Gyges.

Corrin used to say that he could be quite possessive – that this aspect of his personnality was a result of their dragonblood, no matter how faint it was in his veins. He couldn't deny it; yet he didn't find it appealing either, and, as any knight ought to do, he had given himself the goal to get rid of such flaw.

However, on the morning of their departure from Shisaragi Castle, he discovered that perhaps, he wasn't so good at it as he'd thought. He was getting his final preparations done with the help of Kaze, as the ninja had appointed himself to the well-being of both Vallite royals, when he heard a sweet, familiar melody. It only took him a second to recognise the tune of Azura's song – the one generations of her family had used to seal his own father's powers. He found himself relaxing, his aching muscles forgetting the pain of his last trainings.

His blood grew cold, however, when his ear noticed the faint clap of hands when his cousin reached the last note. Freezing, much to Kaze's surprise, the Vallite knight tried to pick up words from her quiet audience. His pupils grew wide as he identified it as Prince Takumi.

"...very talented, Princess Azura. I can't remember the last time I listened to this song, but..." There was a silence – but Kamui couldn't tell if the Hoshidan prince had purposefully lowered his voice or actually stopped talking. In any case, Azura's voice answered to something he hadn't picked up upon.

"I don't feel so confident about my singing skills yet, but your comments make me sincerely proud. And I wanted to repay you for letting me watch you train last time. I'm aware that you probably wanted to remain alone."

"It's fine. If anything, I wouldn't mind... training with you again... I mean, you... you're peaceful to be around."

Azura's laugh distracted Kamui further from his preparations, until Kaze called his name.

"Lord Kamui, you look rather pale. Is something wrong ?"

The young man shook his head, slowly ; his mouth was dry and the muscles of his jaw were tense, which only made him more furious. He closed his eyes slowly, trying to still the nervous beating of his heart and get his mind off of his cousin's conversation.

"Pay it no mind", Kamui answered – to his chagrin, he sounded as if his anger was directed towards the ninja. "I'm just... eager to leave." _Gods, get yourself together..._ "Our first destination is the Wind Tribe, hum ?"

"Yes, milord."

"Where King Sumeragi hopes to get the support of his old friend – Fuga, right ?" The young prince sighed, and, for the first time, Kaze actually saw him vulnerable. Not furious, not cheerful, not confident – the man who stood before him had a haunted look on his face, as if his mind was miles away from the Hoshidan capital. "Let's go, then."

"Something _is_ wrong, isn't it ?"

"You're perceptive, I see. I can't deny it, but you can't do anything about what's on my mind. Please don't trouble yourself over me, I'm fine."

And yet Kaze couldn't help but notice how tense Lord Kamui became as soon as his cousin and Hoshidan counterparts waved at him as a good morning gesture.

* * *

"This is starting to get _really_ bothersome."

While he was by no means an affectionate sibling, Leo took great pride in his ability to understand his relatives and close friends' thoughts. As such, when a defeated Corrin fell onto his favourite couch, in the quiet library of Krakenburg Castle, he chose not to insist, and instead held out a glass of water to the Vallite princess from his own place, by her side : she drank all of it with no hesitation, sighed a malcontented sigh, and rested her head on his shoulder.

The Nohrian prince also took great pride in their height difference : with her being slightly older – and probably because of her dragon blood – he had been shorter than her for most of their lives ; he had only surpassed her in that regards a few years before. Part of him wanted to know if she had paid this detail any attention, but he wouldn't ask. He was all too focused on the runes she was trying to decypher.

"I'm beginning to think it's impossible !", the tactitian at his side snapped begrudgingly. "We've been working on this damn hex for hours today, and that's not even mentionning how many times we've discussed it before. We have to be missing something."

"You know, if you want to take a break, or even give up, I won't mind."

There was a sudden movement – a sudden chill up Leo's spine – as Corrin raised from her position, holding the tome firmly against her chest. A grin parted her lips, and she assured him of her support. She simply wouldn't leave all the fun to him, as she'd already stated before. He followed with a smirk and joined in her latest research.

The spell they were working on was intended to counter curses. Discovering it among the hidden chapters of an old manuscript had been a blessing to the young mage, but after spending weeks on a useful translation, he had resorted to the knowledge of his foreign friend, who, at the very least, could decypher parts of the hex. It was still hard to pinpoint the effects of the counter curse, and even harder was the way to perform it. Their hard work had, so far, been fruitless.

Still, most of the runes they worked on shared a meaning with ancient dialects that Corrin just happened to know of.

"I'll try again. You said the spell was written by mages from the border between Nohr and the Bottomless Canyon. So, I tried to study dialects that would have been used there, to see if anything matched with these runes. Let's see now – once again."

She cleared her throat and, extending a pale hand over a greyish seed :

" _Kiree kagira saibastia iire ia miamenta_..."

Magic heated her fingertips and the gentleness of her tired gaze. A gust of wind suddenly ran through the room, throwing papers off the table and dishevelling Corrin's hair. For less than a second, a smile graced her lips ; for less than a second, Leo stopped breathing.

His breath caught in his throat as the Vallite princess's finger tensed. There was a loud gasp on her part, and while he reached for her stumbling self, the cursed stone she had been practicing on cracked open.

"Are you okay ?" She didn't answer, and didn't even look him in the eye. Raising her finger with a shiver, she breathed out, letting out a sigh he hadn't seen her hold. "You've done enough, you should rest."

"The...", she coughed. "Something happened..."

Corrin looked up. Bright crimson met a deep earthly hue. Then she closed her eyes and he had the time to catch her to prevent her from collapsing. He called her name – one, two, three times, each more desperate than the last – before checking her pulse. A thin coat of sweat covered the skin of her face, neck and hands, and while she looked weak and pale, her heart was still beating, albeit a little too slowly for his taste. By the time, she was opening her eyes again, the Nohrian prince had laid her on the couch, bare feet and hair undone ; his hand froze over her cheek, and he looked away with a flush.

"When did I... ? Oh." Trying to raise her head from the pillows, Corrin was yet again pushed down. Leo might have been a mage, but he had never abandonned his physical training, and she, the dragon's daughter, was at the moment too tired to oppose him. "I'm fine, I swear."

"Says the woman who's just fainted. Rest – I'll call for a healer."

"No need for that." He wasn't paying attention to her anymore – probably choosing to ignore her so as not to be swayed by her reassuring smile. But her sudden grip on his wrist stopped him on his tracks. "I'll rest ! Just... don't call for anyone."

He turned around ; she wasn't smiling now, and the worry in her gaze was genuine. Following her whims, he stayed at her side, sitting close to his old friend, with her legs over his knees and his hand on her ankle. She thanked him, lowering her head back on the pillow.

"Lilith doesn't need to know..."

"Let's call it a day. When you're better, I'll lead you back to your chambers. It's my fault... you can't have slept a lot last night, with me coming over. I apologize, Corrin."

"Heh heh, it's no big deal. I should apologize too : with Lilith's nightmare, we couldn't work as much as I'd wanted. Plus, you must have been surprised..."

"It's no big deal."

They remained silent, unmoving, for some time afterwards. The air of the library was filled with the smell of magic – like a forrest after the rain, so full of life and noise to the hunters who could recognize its inhatbitants – and the wheezing sound of the Vallite's princess troubled breathing. Then, Leo took her feverish hands to pull her on her feet, and she regained her chambers thanks to the support of his arm.

Less than a minute after their leaving, another woman – a maid, according to her outfit – entered the library, and found nothing left, except from the smell of heavy rain. She opened a window, and left, mumbling to herself.

* * *

King Sumeragi bowed lightly at Azura, who took her leave after repeating that gesture. He was smiling, kind and bold as ever, but for the first time in a very long time – perhaps even the first time in her whole life – she didn't have the heart to smile back. He was the reason she was in such a mess, after all. In her mother's last letter, the heiress of Valla had been officially tasked to ease the situation ; according to Arete, Hoshido making an alliance with Cheve would threaten the peace with Nohr – and all prospects of marriage between her daughter and whichever prince she would deem worthy of being her consort.

In other words, Azura had to stand her ground more than ever. But Hoshido wasn't Gyges – what right did she have to work against another ruler's policy ? That duty of hers was weighing heavily on her shoulder. Surely someone else – but no, she was the only one. The only child – the lonely child – of the late king Kadros.

That kind of thoughts always invaded her mind when away from her mother. While she was never alone, she never really felt surrounded by family. As a child, she had loved Kamui and Corrin as siblings, yet that feeling faded away as the understanding of their real bond grew : both would become her advisers, her elite bodyguards – but should foreign dignitaries visit her, they wouldn't be able to stand at her side. Lilith was an even stranger case, one she wasn't comfortable studying within earshot of any of these Hoshidan allies.

In times like these, she envied Kamui's more easy-going nature. She could spy him from where she sat, enjoying the shade of a late-blooming sakura tree with a young princess whose hair reasembled that of the tree's petals ; he was having a chat with a blond-haired wyvern rider. Azura had first taken an interest in her when she noticed she wore some ribbon in her short hair. Was that a fashion trend she wasn't aware of ? Surely it would suit her better with longer locks.

Only when she noticed the oddity that was a wyvern rider standing within the walls of Shisaragi Castle did she recognize said woman.

What was the rebel even doing there ? And what was Kamui thinking – talking to her like this, as a Vallite noble ? It wasn't right – it _felt_ wrong on so many levels.

Her steps led her to the unlikely woman almost unconsciously. The glance Kamui shot her was filled with so much surprise, so much uncertainty, that she wished she hadn't moved – but it was too late now, and the Chevois leader was already looking her way. She could no longer pretend they weren't there : as Queen Arete would say, no Vallite princess should ever turn her back to an ennemy.

Kamui was the first to talk, albeit with a certain nervousness that she didn't like.

"My lady" – it had been a long time since he had last called her that, and she didn't know quite what to make of it – "This is Scarlet, leader of the Chevois rebels. Scarlet, meet Crown Princess Azura of Valla, my lady and cousin."

Scarlet's gaze betrayed nothing, remaining unfazed and even _unimpressed_. She had the decency to bow her head though, and a ribbon hung from where she had tied it in her short locks. Kamui had told Azura that the wyvern lady hadn't shown much respect in their first encounter – not that he blamed her – and the Vallite princess could only hope she had changed her bevahiour because she was, at the very least, aware of the difference of status between them.

"It's an honour, m'lady."

"I have heard much about you and your troops", Azura replied. "I... didn't know, however, that wyvern riders wore such... colourful armor." This probably was not the best way to start a conversation, but Azura wasn't nearly as confident a speaker as her cousins, and the crimson armor was indeed striking.

Red was Hoshido's colour, and Azura couldn't help but see it as a sign of allegiance she would have to deal with.

"Oh ! Yeah, I guess not, I just like to give a bit of personality to my things. Your style is a lot sober than that of the nobles I know."

 _What other nobles ?_ , Azura thought. Hoshidan ones ? Nohrian ones ? She repressed the urge to question her, instead focusing on keeping an even expression, as she took the comment, not as a threat, but as a compliment, and thanked the Chevois knight. This proved to be harder than she had hoped, and she caught a few of Kamui's anxious glances as he fidgeted between them. Apparently Scarlet noticed him too, because she soon returned her attention to him :

"Are you uncomfortable ? You don't look so good..."

"Ah – pay it no mind. Must be that I am eager for the travel to begin."

"This has nothing to do with having two women around you, has it ?", Scarlet teased – and Azura saw red. "That would be surprising, with you having sisters and all."

And the Crown Princess almost spat : "Believe me, if you knew them, you wouldn't joke so easily about the princesses of Valla."

Now, with some distance, she would admit that this kind of answer probably wasn't the most diplomatic, and that a more posed tone and less threatening phrasing could have served her better. But at the moment, she simply saw no other way to react. Had she said nothing, Kamui would have taken the joke lightly – would have indulged the other woman with anecdotes and perhaps even asked about her own family ; and Azura simply couldn't have that. She couldn't let his attention be so easily distracted by another, couldn't let Scarlet have her way when both of them agreed that she presented a threat to the peace they worked so diligently for.

And, as expected, Scarlet didn't reply : she did raise an eyebrow, either out of curiosity or confusion. What Azura hadn't considered was her cousin's answer.

"What is that supposed to mean ?"

His words weren't as harsh as she supposed they could have been ; but the way he talked, the way he looked at her – like she had betrayed him, like she had done something so horrible he was ashamed of her behaviour – made her flinch.

And she couldn't simply find any way out of the inextricable situation : apologizing would put her in a weakened position in front of the Chevois rebel, would make her look like a pitiful leader for her own people ; but saying nothing would only further disappoint Kamui, and if word got to his sisters that she had implied anything, how would she avoid Corrin's wrath ?

As fate would have it, timing was of the essence, and Kaze appeared to announce their departure and urge the Vallite royals to follow him.

Scarlet took it upon herself to bid them farewell – looking at Kamui, but not at his cousin, all the while – before getting to her wyvern. Kamui waved at her politely, but wore a hurt frown when his face turned to Azura. Although they walked together towards their mounts, no word was exchanged between them during the first part of the trip, and the Crown Princess couldn't help but curse her own feelings.

* * *

After a training session that seemed endless to the daughter of Anankos, Camilla finally sat down and let her heal her wounds. Her retainer – the skittish maid with pink hair and a clumsy nature – had left them alone at Camilla's orders : she was to let them know if Corrin awoke from her latest slumber. Lilith, meanwhile, was happy to help her old friend get rid of some nasty scars that she didn't dare question. Some things, she believed, were better left unsaid.

"You're as reckless as ever, when you use a tome – I mean, look at your arms ! Those burns may be minor, but they were surely avoidable too !" The Nohrian princess chuckled lightly, dismissing her complaints with an apologetic smile. Lilith lowered her voice. "Is there any particular reason you are feeling so tense ? You can tell me, you know."

There was a brief moment of silence – of doubt, too. Their eyes met for a second before Lilith's refocused on Camilla's skin, careful not to break the mending spell. Her friend sighed. As much as Lilith tried to hide it, they were both tense : ever since Leo had come to them, explaining in a rush that the Vallite princess was exhausted by a counter-curse they were (secretly) working on, their minds had been occupied (and preoccupied) by many thoughts. How to hide it from Xander – worse : from the concubines ? How had they not noticed the pair's reunions and exchanges ? Had anyone else noticed them ?

Training had been an easy way to distract them and the others from the issue. To the rest of the inhabitants of Krakenburg, there was nothing strange about Lady Camilla's dangerous spellcasting, or about Lady Lilith's worry. Xander wouldn't bother them for a while, and Elise was having tea with Leo, probably unaware of Corrin's state.

"Those two children... I should have guessed."

"Don't beat yourseelf over it. Besides, Corrin is going to be fine."

"It's not her current state that worries me..." Camilla's frown deepened. "Us not noticing is alright, but if someone else – I'd rather not think about it."

"Are things really so bad here ? You – you never talk about it in your letters."

Although Lilith considered Camilla her best friend, their letters remained mundane, and their written conversations on a superficial level more often than not. She knew that Camilla didn't want to make her the target of whatever ennemy she had to face, that she preferred dealing with problems her way rather than spreading word of her weakness. But face to face, it was hard for the Nohrian princess to lie about it : the tensions between the concubines, and even between her siblings, had her on edge.

"If it were me", she whispered, "it wouldn't be an issue, you know ? But them ? There are so, _so_ many ways this could turn out wrong."

And she was probably right. Although unofficially, Corrin was considered Xander's betrothed by many nobles – her closeness with his half-brother could only bring the three of them misery. And even if noone knew about this part of their relationship, her sickly nature could be interpreted as a weakness, and turn her into a target for many ambitious nobles.

Lilith could only imagine the horror of anyone who would try to kill her, only to be faced with unrestrained dragon rage.

Felicia's return cut short her musings. The nervous maid informed her lady that King Garon wanted to see her – see them, really. Camilla immediately forced her tired limbs to move, getting up in a hurry ; Lilith followed her back to her chambers, where King Garon waited for them. Felicia escorted them, but was allowed to remain in another room during the meeting. Therefore, Beruka was the one to bring them tea, without a word or a sound as she made her way in the room.

Garon didn't wait for his daughter's retainer to leave to start talking, which Lilith saw as a sign of trust, or perhaps one of impatience.

"Your brother has informed me of young Corrin's... situation."

"I'm not surprised", Camilla sighed. "Leo can be irrationally honest, sometimes. Although, I don't see what that has to do with me – or Lilith."

"Nothing, perhaps. But the poor boy was quite anxious, which is why I came with a... proposition, if you will. One for Lilith, actually."

"For me ?" Camilla tensed even further, but Lilith was mostly curious.

"Yes." He asked Beruka to get someone for him, and, after a moment, a young woman with messy dark hair, wearing a veil and what Lilith recognized to be a dark mage's uniform, came in. "This is Nyx – a most excellent magician and wise advisor, as well as a person I would trust with my life. I want you, Lilith, to make her your retainer."

"Wha- I don't understand, Your Highness. What does me having a retainer have to do with anything ? A-and you", she added, turning to Nyx, "why would you... ? I don't get it."

"Nyx's gift with the dark arts means that, should you need it, she could help Corrin get over the curse. However, my oldest children all have retainers of their own, and the younger ones have no connection with your sister."

"In other words, you just want to use the title of retainer to get Nyx close to Corrin, in the hopes that she will indeed be of help ?" Camilla turned to the dark mage as well. "I've heard of you : you have been cursed yourself, and have lived in isolation ever since. Why would you agree to this ? And how can Lilith know you could actually help her sister ?"

"My convictions and thoughts on this do not matter, child. You are in need of help, although not in a position to ask for it. I can be of assistance. What matters is whether you accept my help, or not."

"Of course we don't..."

"I do !" Lilith cut her friend's answer quickly, and hoped she would not take it personnally. "I am not nearly as talented as my sister, or even you, Camilla, when it comes to magic. But I do know one thing : dragon blood and curses don't go well together. And you, Nyx – you are cursed still, aren't you ? I suppose you understand the threat as well as I do." The young woman nodded quietly. "Then please, become my retainer. I won't ask about your motives, or your past, or – or anything !"

Nyx nodded again, a little more hesitant this time. Garon thanked Lilith for accepting his offer and shot her new retainer an unreadable look before sharing a few words with his daughter, who bowed her head out of respect and submission rather than out of conviction. Lilith only caught a few words, among which she thought she heard : "keep them in check".

* * *

 **In the next chapter : Queen Arete was known to say it's better to keep one's friends close, and one's ennemies even closer. In any case, there are way too many people surrounding the Vallite royals, and her daughter doesn't think that is a good sign.**


End file.
